


Zelink-mas 2020

by pastelsandpining



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Christmas prompts, F/M, Mostly fluff though, Some Fluff, Some angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 29,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28120956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastelsandpining/pseuds/pastelsandpining
Summary: A collection of (mostly) Christmas related one-shots written from prompts posted by zelink-prompts on Tumblr. This collection will consist of 12 total stories, with the final story being uploaded Christmas day. For the sake of relevance to Hyrule, the holiday we know as Christmas has been changed to Hylia's Day. These works can also be found on my Tumblr under the user pastelsandpining.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 91





	1. Snowed In | Baby it's Cold Outside

**Author's Note:**

> If I don’t have explicit warnings, read with caution. It simply means there’s nothing I could think of that could be potentially triggering, but I could’ve just missed something. In that case, please let me know and I’ll be more than happy to put a warning!  
> This work is centered around BotW/Age of Calamity Zelink, pre-Calamity.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trip to Hebra didn’t go quite as expected when Zelda and Link are forced to take cover from a snow storm.

Zelda absolutely could not believe her luck. Well, she  _ could _ , but she would rather pretend that she couldn’t so she could keep a cap on the bottle of anger that threatened to burst. Everything was beginning to catch up with her now that the sun was setting, and she didn’t have the safety of her bedroom and pillows. What she had instead was a headache, and she was  _ very  _ cold despite her winter coat, and she was hungry, and she was exhausted.

Hebra was a beautiful region, but the snowstorms and blizzards were anything but. They were biting and vicious, and never ending it seemed. She’d come here for one reason only--to try and prompt Revali to give her an answer. He thought it would be just fitting to make her wait, and she didn’t want to seem pushy, especially when her own powers were still dormant, but they certainly didn’t have forever. She didn’t want to be annoyed with the Rito, but Calamity Ganon was not going to wait for an answer, even if he was the most skilled warrior among his people. She also didn’t want to seem spoiled, but she couldn’t help finding it rather _offensive_ that he wanted so badly to make her wait. What did he want her to do, get on her knees and  _ beg _ ? 

But then they were interrupted by one of the storms, a blizzard that came from nowhere. Of course  _ he  _ had gone off to do  _ whatever  _ it was, and she was left behind with Impa. Which wasn’t bad--she loved Impa. She simply found it infuriating to be left in the dark. So, just as any other sensible, curious,  _ responsible _ person would do, she traversed into the blizzard anyway. And what did she find at the end of the tunnel but her knight and the potential Rito champion trying to kill each other?

Needless to say, it had been a  _ long _ day. She got her answer at last, but really, at what cost? 

And now the blizzard kicked up again with twice the force as before, and she had to keep a hold on Link’s hand so they didn’t get seperated. She didn’t speak and if he did, she couldn’t hear him. She held her other arm over her eyes for protection, but it did nothing to stop the stinging of her ears and cheeks. She couldn’t tell if it was the wind howling or something else. 

She was just about to suggest that they turn back. They should’ve stayed in the inn in Rito Village, but she’d wanted so desperately to get back to her room and she knew Link wouldn’t argue, but now she wished he had, because the last thing she wanted was to catch hypothermia and freeze to death in Hebra.

But Link gave her arm a tug, and their direction was changed. She was beginning to think there wasn’t anything Hylian about him except his appearance, because she couldn’t see within a foot in front of them. Yet she could see with every step they took a clearer picture—a cabin flanked by bare, snowy trees. There was no smoke rising from it, so she assumed it was empty. Or at least, she hoped it was empty. It was some form of protection and her body gave a violent shudder just thinking about it. 

She didn’t know how old it was, but it wasn’t falling apart at the very least. It was empty and looked to be deserted. There was nothing that indicated the presence of another person. The door had a lock too, and her fingers that had frozen through the gloves fumbled with it until it slid into place. Cold still seeped through the walls, but there was no more wind and snow. 

A burst of light suddenly came to life, and Zelda looked up from the Sheikah Slate she’d been trying to pull out her coat. 

“Where..?” she began, looking between Link and the fire in the hearth. 

“There were a few pieces already in there,” he replied with a gesture to the warmth. “I don’t know how old they are and I don’t know how long they’ll last, but it’s better than nothing.”

It was the most she’d heard him speak.

Zelda nodded once in response and then shuffled forwards to take a seat in front of the fire. She shivered again, leaving the Slate besides her so she could turn her hands to the flames. Her lips parted with the instinct to thank him, but he snatched up the Slate from the floor and she settled for silence. 

She watched the flames dance, throwing the room into shades of yellow and orange. It was mesmerizing, but it pulled her into a realm of thoughts. What right minded individual would leave a sanctuary (if you disregard Revali and Link’s mutual distaste for one another) that was so far from home at such a late hour? Zelda closed her eyes and told herself it was the result of a long day and high strung emotions. That was it. Any other day, in any other circumstance, she would’ve stayed the night in the village. 

A weight on her shoulders made her flinch and open her eyes, but it was nothing more than a blanket. It escaped her mind that she’d put one in the Slate before they left, but she didn’t think it would be much use. She looked over at her knight with furrowed eyebrows, but he was busy making skewers of some sort. She was very thankful for the beeping of the little guardian, which hid the growling of her stomach as it padded on over.

It settled itself right between the two of them as if it was cold too. Zelda shook her head, pulling her hands back to her lap. Maybe it was just her, but the air felt awkward with no noise other than the crackling fire and sound of wind. Her eyes drifted to the guardian again as she bit her lip.

“Have you come up with a name for it yet?” she asked. Link looked over immediately with confusion written over his features, so she gestured to the guardian in an attempt to ignore his reddened cheeks and nose. She could imagine she looked very similar. 

“I.. it belongs to you, Princess. I couldn’t-“

“You were the one who found it,” she replied as she worked the gloves off of her fingers. “Besides, I.. could use some ideas.” 

“Well.. uh, I have one,” said Link. The little guardian beeped as if it were prompting him to continue. “Eggbert.”

Zelda’s head snapped in his direction. 

“This is a valuable, near intact piece of ancient,  _ advanced  _ Sheikah technology created with the purpose of defeating the Calamity, and you wish to name it ‘Eggbert’?” 

Link scratched the back of his head with a sheepish shrug.

“It’s white and.. vaguely egg shaped,” he pointed out. 

“Fair enough,” Zelda said, turning her face away so he wouldn’t see her lips cracking into a smile. She cursed him for nearly making her laugh, and Eggbert giving a furious beep didn’t help. She was pleasantly surprised however, because she didn’t know he had a personality, much less a sense of humor. “Eggbert it is.”

The guardian stood from its perch and beeped again, pointing a leg up to a bewildered Link before it scampered off into a corner. For a piece of ancient technology, it could be very _expressive_. 

Zelda’s stomach growled again when the smell of meat and mushrooms hit her, and she hugged her stomach to try and quiet it. She hoped her cheeks, which were now defrosted and warm, were still red enough to hide the embarrassment if he looked her way. But she had bigger worries, she supposed, when her body reminded her of the pounding ache in her head—just behind her eyebrows. She pressed her fingers to her forehead, rubbing small circles like it would have any sort of effect. She was better off making an elixir, but the Slate still hadn’t been returned to her side, so she didn’t bother.

“Princess..”

She lifted her head and looked over to the knight, who was holding out one of the skewers. 

“It’s hot,” he warned, but she took it gingerly and bit into it anyway. It burned, but only for a second. 

“Have you always known how to cook?” she asked, though it wasn’t like it was anything  _ impressive _ . Anyone could stick some meat and mushrooms on a stick and hold it over a fire, right? But she wanted to make some sort of conversation. He nodded and took a bite, so she threw in a “it’s good” and then let silence fall.

It was a few minutes later that Link said “thank you”, and Zelda nodded. He held another skewer out towards her, but even with her own picked clean, she shook her head.

“You can have it,” she assured, offering a faint smile. She’d seen him eat a literal rock back on Death Mountain, so she was certain the boy would eat anything and had a far bigger appetite than her. 

He looked hesitant, but he took a bite anyway. With less hunger and more warmth surrounding her, Zelda decided to succumb to her exhaustion. They wouldn’t be going anywhere for a while, likely not until morning, so she curled up in front of the fireplace. 

She was almost asleep, but the sound of the lock on the door sliding out of place got her to sit up and turn around.

“Where are you going?” she asked, fighting to keep her eyes open.

“We need more firewood,” Link replied with a gesture to the dying embers. Zelda rubbed her eyes.

“You’re not going out there,” she said and shook her head.

“It’ll get cold-“

“We could hardly see anything when the sun was still up. You are not going out there in the pitch dark, Link. I don’t care how strong or brave you think you are.”

“Princess-“

“You will _not_ go out that door. That’s an order.”

She hated playing that card, she  _ really _ did. It felt no better when Link nodded silently and his fingers slid the lock back into place. Before she could stop herself, she grabbed one end of the blanket and opened it up as a gesture for him to join. 

“If you’re cold, then there are other ways to keep warm. It’s.. safer,” she mumbled, gripping the blanket tighter. “I mean, it’s still snowing and the wind is.. I don’t particularly want to tell my father that my knight attendant got lost and froze to death overnight..”

Despite how hesitant he  _ must’ve _ been, he spared her the embarrassment and took a slow seat besides her, taking the blanket from her hand. It left very little space between them and went against  _ so many _ codes, but the fire  _ was _ dying and they couldn’t go back out, so they simply had to make do. The survival and health of the crown princess of Hyrule was more important than some code of honor, right?

“Thank you,” Zelda said quietly, keeping her eyes on the embers and small, flickering flames. 

“Go back to sleep, Princess,” he replied, but Zelda pulled her knees to her chest and held the blanket tighter.

“You must promise me that you won’t try to sneak out if I do.”

“..of course.”

She turned to look at him and furrowed her eyebrows, then stuck out a pinky.

“Promise me,” she demanded. Link looked between her hand and her eyes, but he wrapped his pinky around hers and nodded once.

“I promise.”

Satisfied, Zelda curled back up in front of the fire, making herself as small as possible so that she didn’t pull the blanket off of Link. It took her seconds to fall asleep and despite the day she had, it wasn’t as restless as she thought it’d be. 

———

Zelda woke to sunlight dripping in through the window. She was much warmer than she expected to be, but perhaps that was from the shared blanket—with Link pressed to her back. She flushed at the thought of it and suddenly, she didn’t need the blanket anymore. She peeled it off and carefully sat up. The fire was out, Eggbert was still asleep in the corner, and apparently already awake, Link turned onto his back to look up at her.

“Good morning,” she choked out and scooted a little backwards. 

“Are you cold?” he asked, propping himself up on his elbows. Zelda shook her head.

“No, I-.. are you?”

“No.”

“Okay.”

Link eyed her for a second. It looked as if he were about to ask something, so she grabbed the Sheikah Slate and activated it. Within seconds, Eggbert had come pattering over.

“We should start heading back,” he said. “Before they start to worry.” 

Zelda nodded and scrambled to her feet, pulling her hat back on. Link was looking at her again, so she ducked her head and headed for the door, sliding the lock out of place. What she wouldn’t have given last night to be alone, but now she felt a nervousness she couldn’t explain and didn’t want to think about. 

“Princess.”

“Yes?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder. Link held up her discarded gloves. “Oh.”

“May I?” 

Zelda hesitated, eyeing his upturned hand. Just what  _ exactly  _ was he trying to do? She gave no verbal answer, but she eventually held out her own. He approached slowly, giving her the chance to pull away should she wish, but she didn’t. His touch was gentle and his hands were warm as he slid the gloves over hers. It took her a moment to look away from him once he was finished, but she pulled the door open and welcomed the icy air on her flushed cheeks.

There was approximately a foot of snow on the ground, and some of it fell into the doorway and over her boots. She kicked it aside and stepped out of the safety of the cabin, fishing the Slate out of her pocket.

Link took the lead and she followed, with Eggbert scuttling along between them. It was quiet and Zelda didn’t try to make conversation. Perhaps it was unlike her, but so was sleeping against a knight and letting that same knight put her gloves on. She’d been off all morning though, and she hated the feeling. It’d been so nice escaping her responsibilities for a little while, even if it was only due to a sudden snow storm. She wished she could do it more often, but what would her father say if he knew how she was thinking? 

“Princess?”

Zelda glanced over at Link, and the little guardian beeped its own concern. 

“It’s nothing,” she assured and looked for something,  _ anything _ to change the subject. “Is your coat warm enough? You look cold.” 

His cheeks and nose were cherry red again. She tried not to think about it too much.

“I’m alright,” he replied, so she nodded and let silence fall again. Hunger was beginning to set in, as was a soreness from sleeping on the hardwood floor, but she would not complain. 

Eggbert scuttled a little ahead and Zelda picked up her pace to match. Perhaps the little guardian was seeing what she was seeing—a stable just ahead, with the shape of a horse peeking out above the trees. That very stable had their horses, and thinking about a more filling meal cooked in a pot gave her hope that they would make it out of Hebra after all. Snow was beginning to fall again, but it was softer and there was no storm to carry it, so she hardly minded. She liked it enough to tilt her head back and stick her tongue out to catch a snowflake. 

Link was watching her, and her cheeks flushed.

“What?” she asked, crossing her arms defensively over her chest. He only shook his head and turned his attention back to the stable, but she wasn’t satisfied with that answer. “I’m convinced you don’t know how to have fun.”

“Having fun is not in my job description, Princess.” 

“Job description? What are you going to protect me from this far from civilization? The snow? Oh, watch out, it’s falling from the sky and it burns!” Zelda raised her hands over her head in a dramatic show of protecting herself, but it got nothing more out of Link than an eyebrow raised in her direction.

“There’s a lot hiding in plain sight,” he replied.  _ Obviously _ , she knew that. But she was too stubborn to let go of this. She would make her point one way or another. 

“A sense of humor, perhaps?”

But they’d arrived at the stable at last, and Zelda left her knight’s side (and handed the Slate over) to approach the stable hand.

“Good morning,” she greeted with a soft smile.

“Princess,” he replied with a low bow, but he knocked his head against the booth and Zelda bit her cheek to stop a laugh.

“Goodness, are you alright?” she asked instead, reaching a hand out to him.

“I’m quite alright,” he assured. “Thank you. I do hope your trip has been treating you kindly.”

“It has, but we were caught in the storm last night. I’m happy to see the stable held up.”

“Don’t you worry about a thing. She’s real sturdy.”

“That’s delightful to hear. You’ve put a lot of work into these stables. That’s why we’re more than happy to support them.”

“We appreciate that very much, but uh..” He looked nervous. Zelda stole a glance in the direction of Link, who was crouched by the cooking pot. “We do have other, unlucky news. Something got into the stable last night and bit your knight’s horse. She’ll be okay, I assure you! But her leg is swollen and she’ll need a few days rest. No charge at all, of course!”

“That’s quite alright,” Zelda assured, though the news made her anxious. She didn’t know how Link was going to take it, but she pushed a few rupees over to the stable owner anyway for his troubles and smiled. “I insist. We trust you to take the utmost care of her.”

She made sure to walk away before he could argue. Whatever Link was cooking smelled really good and it made her wonder where he’d learned to do this, but she didn’t quite know how to ask. Instead, she sat on the ground next to him and held her hands out towards the warmth of the fire.

“Your horse,” she said softly, sparing him a glance. “She, um, got hurt last night. Nothing serious, but they say she needs rest.”

“Okay,” Link replied. It was hard to tell what he was thinking, so she gave up trying to and rested her head against her knees. 

“What are you making?” she asked. 

“A cream of mushroom soup,” he answered, glancing over to her. “It’s not.. breakfast, but it’s warm.”

“You could add a spicy pepper,” she suggested and looked away. “I’m not sure about taste, but spicy peppers are often used in cold resistance elixirs. I imagine it would work similarly with food.”

Zelda didn’t know why she felt surprised to see him follow her suggestion without complaint. She knew what she was doing of course, but there were occasions where other people, men in particular, didn’t think so. It made her all the more satisfied when she was proven correct.

Ten minutes later, they were full and warm and ready to  _ really _ head back. 

Well, almost ready.

“Link, you don’t need to walk,” she said, gripping the reins of her horse tighter. Link looked up at her and said nothing, so she huffed to make a point. “It will be far more quick and efficient if we both ride.”

“Princess..”

“I insist. Our arrival is overdue and.. and I don’t mind.” She definitely minded. “Please don’t be stubborn.”

Defeated, Link joined her at last and Zelda was no longer sure if it was the effects of the spicy pepper that warmed her up, or his arms entrapping her waist so he could hold the reins. 

“Are you comfortable?” he asked, though it sounded far too close to her ear for her liking.

“I’m fine,” she replied and wrapped an arm around Eggbert, who was settled in front of her and beeped once. 

The return to Hyrule Castle was quick enough, but she was hyper aware of every time he touched her ever since last night and oh, she  _ hated _ him for that. 

Of all people to have gotten snowed in with… 


	2. Christmas List | Santa Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For their first Hylia’s Day together after everything that happened, Link just wanted to gift Zelda something special.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I don’t have explicit warnings, read with caution. It simply means there’s nothing I could think of that could be potentially triggering, but I could’ve just missed something. In that case, please let me know and I’ll be more than happy to put a warning!  
> This work features BotW Zelink post-Calamity, but includes the little guardian as well.

Relearning everything about his past and about Hyrule was no easy feat. A world that was so familiar yet so foreign still left him unsettled at times, because he was a young adult trying to understand the things that nearly everyone else grew up with. It was fascinating to learn about traditions and holidays and how they came to be, and he did genuinely want to know everything he once knew and more.

It was how he’d ended up awake until the break of dawn, listening to Zelda tell stories of Hyrule’s past. She was in her element when she got to research or explore or teach. Watching her was something he felt incredibly lucky to do, much less sit so close to her on the bed while they poured over books. He wanted to be as prepared as possible.

He’d heard of Hylia’s Day before, but it would be his first time experiencing it (that he could remember). Zelda explained it as a celebration of love and giving, of friendship and of victory. She told him of the festivals they used to hold, and the balls they’d been forced to attend, and of the parties they used to have. She told him of the traditions of gift giving and of family gathering.

And when they finally settled down to sleep, Link asked her what she wanted for Hylia’s Day. She replied just as she always did—that she already had all she could ever want.

It didn’t stop him from trying, though. He brought it up at the most nonchalant of times, during breakfast or trips across the kingdom. He would listen intently every time she spoke, more so than usual, and tried to pick up on any instance of an “I want”. Only once did she give a direct answer, saying she wanted a Silent Princess. 

Link was not satisfied with that. It wasn’t special enough, so he took it upon himself to fill Zelda’s nonexistent Hylia’s Day List.

He didn’t expect to feel as nervous as he did when the day actually came around.

“How does this look?” came the voice of Zelda from behind him. Link paused the stirring of his soup to turn around and answer her question. She’d been adjusting the decorations all morning, no matter how many times he’d promised her they looked fine.

“It looks perfect,” he replied. “Just like everything else.”

“Well, good, because I want this to  _ be _ perfect,” she said, making her way to his side. “It’s the first Hylia’s Day we’ve had since—the first  _ I’ve  _ had outside of a castle. Getting to decorate and set everything up however you want is incredibly stressful. I want our friends to be comfortable and happy.”

“You worry too much,” stated Link in return, bumping her with his shoulder.

“I happen to worry a perfectly healthy amount, for your information.”

He chuckled and turned back to his task at hand: finishing up their dishes for the celebration. The traditions called for a family gathering, and their family was large in both number and size. A little extra wouldn’t hurt, even if their friends were all bringing their own dishes.

“You look beautiful, by the way,” he continued. Zelda’s cheeks flushed, even after a hundred years, and it made him want to smile. He loved when she wore things that were too big for her, including the white sweater that she had to keep pulling the sleeves up on because they were too long. The golden linings made it look fancier than it really was, but she called it comfortable on more than one occasion and it  _ was _ soft to the touch, so it was one of his favorites too. 

“Thank you,” she replied, hugging his arm. “I dressed myself and everything.”

“Wow, impressive,” he stated, pulling his arm free so that he could take the bread out of the oven. He didn’t miss the roll of her eyes before she turned back to the tree tucked into the corner. 

“I can’t help thinking something’s missing,” she said. Link placed the pan on a rack before turning to face her again, reaching for one of her hands.

“It’s perfect,” he repeated, spinning her to face him. “The only thing missing is a star at the top, but I don’t think you’d fit.”

She gave his hand a gentle swat and huffed.

“You’re ridiculous.” But she was smiling anyway, and that was enough of a gift for him. He considered pulling her closer, spinning her around and trying to get her to laugh, but there was a knock on the door before he could. Link let go of her hand so she could answer it, and he was unsurprised to see Purah bouncing on her feet at the door, with Symin behind her carrying a far too large bag, probably full of presents. 

“Check it!” she exclaimed--her form of a greeting, apparently. “Happy Hylia’s Day, you rascals! I’ve been looking forward to this all year!”

“Purah,” Zelda greeted. “It’s lovely to see you again!”

“You can put the bag down here,” Link told Symin, gesturing to the area under the stairs after shutting the door, keeping the cold outside. Now that Purah had stolen Zelda away for some excited conversation about Sheikah technology, Link had an opening. “Did Robbie manage to.. do the thing?”

“Fix it up? Yeah, I heard he and Purah talking last night. He was able to restore it, but I don’t know if it’ll have all the same functions as before,” Symin answered, his voice lowered to keep anyone from hearing. Some tension in Link’s shoulders relaxed. That was one thing checked off the list—the one thing he was  _ really _ nervous about.

“I’m gonna owe Robbie an entire decayed guardian for this.”

“He’ll take payments in increments.”

Link snorted and shook his head. As eccentric as Robbie was, he was positive the Sheikah would try and refuse payment. But Link didn’t exactly need his permission to haul a decayed guardian up to Akkala’s Tech Lab, so it would turn out either way. He just hoped, with a glance towards Zelda, that it was the right gift.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Symin asked. 

“You could take coats by the door,” Link joked as another knock echoed through their house. 

He was pleased to see Sidon, Impa, and Paya were the next to arrive. But he didn’t get much of a greeting out before Sidon, crouching to get through the door, lifted him from the floor in a crushing hug.

“Happy Hylia’s Day, Link! Lovely to see you!” 

All Link could really do was pat Sidon’s shoulder in return until his feet were returned to the ground. 

The arrivals began increasing faster than he expected, with Teba and his family arriving next—with Kass in tow, of course.

“I’m worried we won’t have enough space,” Zelda stated suddenly, scaring the living daylights out of him. “We could move it outside, but we’d need a fire. I’m sure the Rito are fine with the cold, but we could give everyone else some blankets and coats. Do Zora get cold?”

“I don’t think so,” Link replied, furrowing his eyebrows. “The water in East Reservoir Lake wasn’t exactly warm, and Ruta hurling ice blocks at us didn’t make it any better.” He was still bitter that he didn’t think to use Cryonsis until he’d already been knocked off of Sidon twice. 

“But the Zora are used to water, so perhaps they’re used to the cold as well.”

“Why don’t we just ask?” Link pointed out, bumping her with his shoulder. “We have a Zora.”

“You say that like Sidon is a pet,” Zelda scolded, crossing her arms. 

“He’s basically a huge Hylian Retriever, yes.”

“Besides, would it be rude?”

Link grinned and ruffled her hair as he said, “Nothing is rude in the name of science.”

“Except eating a frog, apparently,” Zelda bit back, swatting at his hand.

“Oh, let it go,” he laughed. “I ate tons of frogs.”

“And?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow with a smug smile.

“You were right.”

“What are you two love birds talking about?” Sidon asked, and Link jumped for the second time that day. How could someone so large sneak up on him so easy, even if there was a good bit of noise in the house?

“Sidon!” Zelda said quickly, her cheeks flushed with pink. “We were just discussing moving everything outside.”

“Brilliant idea! Do you need help moving anything?” 

Link thought of assuring Sidon he was a guest and didn’t need to lift a finger, but apparently those gears in Zelda’s head were turning.

“No, but we have a few extra strings of fairy lights,” she replied, tapping her chin. “We could put lights on the tree outside!”

“You,” Sidon said as he picked her up. “are a little genius, Princess! Everyone, outside!”

Link hardly got a word in before they were out the door. All he could do was laugh at them with a warm smile. This was more than he ever could’ve wanted.

“It’s good to see you happy.”

Kass was smiling at him, just in that way where he looked like he knew all he was thinking. 

“Holiday cheer,” Link replied with a shrug, but Kass hummed.

“Ah, yes. Holiday cheer and nothing to do with dear Zelda.”

“Well,” Link sputtered, glancing towards the door everyone else had gone out of. “She helps. How’s, uh, how’s your song coming?”

“Rather well, actually. I think she’ll be pleased with it. Come, we’re missing all the fun.”

And Kass was right. Riju and Teba’s son were chasing each other around the pond, occasionally being joined by other village children, and Yunobo was being used as a rock pile to climb over in the process—not that he looked to mind it much. Buliara was observing carefully from her perch on the ramp, discussing something with Teba and Saki, and he was pleased to see they were all smiling. 

Impa was busy scolding Purah for something, and Robbie was coming to her defense, and whatever Symin had interrupted with made them all laugh. 

And then, to his (pleasant) horror, he found Zelda and Paya up in the tree, wrapping strings of lights around the bare branches. Sidon was underneath, wrapping another string around the trunk. They were having far too much fun with it.

Zelda spotted him from her perch and waved, and he had no choice but to join them in the decorating.

A little later into the evening, they sat around a campfire that turned out to be a joint effort and swapped various stories while they ate—stories about the Champions, who were there in spirit, about troubles they’ve solved, and other funny recalls of their lives. Link tried to listen, but his attention shifted every time he saw Zelda next to him with a smile on her face.

A gathering so wonderful wasn’t complete without swapping gifts. They’d given and received so many things, but Link chose to wait until everyone was finished to approach Zelda with his gift. Upon seeing the big box, she lifted an eyebrow.

“Alright. I know a Silent Princess isn’t that big, so what could you have possibly gotten me?” she asked, sitting in front of the crate. Link only shrugged and gestured for her to open it up. 

Her careful fingers pulled the ribbon apart and she took the lid with both hands. He watched her closely, nervous for what her reaction would be. 

Zelda was quiet for a moment, her eyes locked on the contents of the box. When she lifted her head to look at him at last, there were tears glistening in the firelight. 

“Where did you find him?” she asked, her voice shaking.

“He was in that same crate on a shelf in your study. I brought it to Robbie and he was able to restore it,” he explained as he pressed the Sheikah Slate into her hands. Zelda tapped the screen with trembling fingers, and he bit back the urge to take her hand. 

A soft beep filled the air and a blue light burst from the crate. A metal claw gripped the edge of the box, then a blue eye appeared and flipped its lid in greeting. 

Zelda pressed a hand over her mouth and reached the other out towards the little guardian they’d found and studied all those years ago. It beeped again, pleased with her recognition, then scuttled out from the crate.

“It’s in near perfect condition. How did it get..?” But she decided she didn’t care and instead wrapped her arms tightly around Link, whispering out a million thank yous. All he could do was press a kiss to her head and hold her close.

There were so many things he’d wanted to give her. There were so many things he wanted to say. But he knew of her love for the ancient technology, and he knew of her love for him. 

Even if her list hadn’t truly existed, he wanted to give her something special. He wanted to give her everything and more, but for now, he was okay just giving her comfort that he remembered. 

He remembered her, and he remembered their adventures, and he remembered her interests.

He  _ remembered _ .

And by the kiss she’d given him, to the delight and cheering of the others, he thought it turned out to be the perfect gift after all.

Well, until the little guardian butted in with its opinion in not so polite beeps, but some things simply couldn’t be helped. 


	3. Yearning | All I Want for Christmas is You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link takes Zelda out to the Festival of Hylia in the hopes that she can enjoy it as a normal kid, and they share a moment during the fireworks show.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I don’t have explicit warnings, read with caution. It simply means there’s nothing I could think of that could be potentially triggering, but I could’ve just missed something. In that case, please let me know and I’ll be more than happy to put a warning!  
> This work features pre-Calamity BotW Zelink and is not Age of Calamity related.

The concept of soulmates is rather simple for something so deep. Whether it be one soul torn into two, or a red string of fate, or two souls that found comfort in one another, the premise was the same. Lifetime after lifetime, for the eternity that was to come and go, two hearts cried out for one another. They searched high and low, across continents and oceans, across timelines and ages,  _ yearning  _ for their partner—their lost piece.

Yet fate could be a cruel player in the game of existence. It could drive a stake in between a set of mates, or prevent their meeting entirely. It could taunt them with the prospect of forever, and take it away at twice the speed. 

It could take those souls and resurrect them  _ only _ in times of destruction and decimation. 

How much could a soul handle? How much could it stretch and bend before it shattered? Was it still marked by trauma all those years later, when it was finally placed into a vessel and sent back into the world?

The soul of a hero, for instance, would be battered and bruised until fate decided there was no use for it. 

And until that decision was made, the hero’s soul would stay by the goddess’s side, even thousands upon thousands of years later. 

An impending war, what they referred to as a Calamity, was nothing new to the old souls. Yet they were filled with optimism, a sort of youthful comfort that wrapped like a blanket, and old souls did not entirely push away childish ideas and schemes.

Said hero was scampering through the streets, hand in hand with the young goddess, both tucked under cloaks that fared as a decent disguise given most participants were too drunk to think otherwise at this point in the night. 

“You cheated,” Zelda accused through a fit of giggles, but she made no move to drop the stuffed sand seal.

“I did  _ not _ ,” Link defended with a borderline emergent smile as he stole a glance towards the booth they’d run from. “I was just… a little better than their usual customers.”

“Yes, because their regular customers consist of skilled soldiers of Hyrule.”

“You don’t know that.”

Zelda pressed a hand over her mouth and laughed again. It got harder to suppress his smile. Something about the freedom that came with sneaking out, on top of the thrill of being where they weren’t supposed to be, left him feeling giddy and mischievous. It’d taken a while to convince Zelda to come with him, but attending the Festival of Hylia to only bestow a blessing over the kingdom wasn’t fair. They’d attended earlier in the day, with the princess wearing a grand, white dress to make her look like the goddess, and all he wanted to do was give her a chance to experience the festival as a normal kid. It was the least she deserved, after spending all of her time and effort focused on the Calamity. Of course, the only way they could actually get out was in a disguise, but Link trusted the cloaks would do their jobs so long as the late night attendees were drinking properly.

“You’re positive we won’t get caught?” she asked, for what had to be the hundredth time since they’d left the castle.

“Do you trust me?” he asked in response, fixing his eyes on hers. They were twinkling even in the darkness, and he could see the Castle Town lights reflected in her irises. When he looked at her like this, when there was no one watching them with attentive eyes, he found it hard to believe she was only Hylian. She radiated a light they couldn’t see, but he knew it was there because she was always so warm. Her eyes were always so bright.

“Yes,” she answered with a nod. Once again, Link almost smiled. But instead, he pulled her by the hand over to another booth. The worker looked too tired to care, so he didn’t have to take much caution in sliding over the rupees and asking for a soft pretzel, a caramel apple that had caught Zelda’s eye, and a set of drinks. It was just a shame they had to release hands to hold it all. 

“We used to come to the festivals all the time,” Zelda said after a few bites, letting her shoulder brush against his. “My mother would play the goddess and do the blessings, but after that, father would take me around to the different games and let me play. I was never any good at it, but they gave me prizes anyway. Mother was brilliant, though. She knew just how to get past the games’ rigging. After her death, father didn’t let me stay out as long. Once I was twelve, my only purpose at the festival was to give the blessings. Did your family always come?”

“Almost every year. My father always took us the first night,” Link spoke with a nod. “Because he was on duty the other two. He tried getting my sister and I to play the games, but I was only interested in the food.”

Another giggle passed the princess’s lips. 

“It sounds like you haven’t changed at all,” she replied, nudging him again. 

“Except now I know how to win,” he said and gestured to the stuffed sand seal.

“I still think you cheated.”

“They cheated us first.”

Zelda had no argument to that one. Link tossed the paper from his pretzel into the trash, then adjusted the fasten on his cloak.

“Do you think we’ll be able to see the fireworks?” she asked. “I used to watch them from my window all the time.”

“I don’t know if it’s better than the view from your window, but I know a place,” he replied. Zelda slipped an arm around his, like she’d done it a thousand times before, and he ducked his head to hide his face from the overhanging light.

“I’ll have to see it in order to judge,” she said simply. He fought back a smile and pulled her through the streets of Castle Town once more, until they’d reached the outskirts. 

Link jumped up to grab the tree branch above them, then turned and held his hands out to her. Apparently his intentions were clear because even in the darkness, he could see that Zelda was appalled.

“We can’t climb on a random person’s house! Link! _Get down_!” she yelled in a whisper, but he just let the grin cover his face.

“It’s empty. For sale, I think,” he replied with a shrug. She looked around, as if she wanted to make sure they were really alone, before taking his hands. He pulled her into the tree effortlessly, then boosted her up onto the roof of a Castle Town house. “It’s no castle view, but you won’t be eye-level with the fireworks.”

“You can see the entire festival from here,” she spoke when he joined her at the top. “It’s not just lights. You can see everything. How did you..?”

“There was one year when my father had to attend all three nights, so it was just my sister and I. We ran out of rupees trying one of the games, and she was really upset, so I just.. snatched a prize and ran. We climbed onto a roof and stayed there for the rest of the festival, until I was sure he hadn’t sent any soldiers after us. It gave us a pretty good view.”

“You thief!” Zelda accused, giving him a shove. Link bit back a laugh.

“You’re the only person I’ve ever told. So now you’re the holder of some pretty powerful information.”

She hummed in thought and leaned her head against the plushie.

“I could do so much with this. I could tell everyone and finally have my freedom from you.”

“I don’t know if stealing a plushie from a festival booth ten years ago is enough to get me demoted.”

“It’s a serious crime,” but he could hear the laughter in Zelda’s voice. He turned to face her just as the first of the fireworks went off, drowning her in a soft yellow light. Even if he wanted to watch the fireworks, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. She was in a category all of her own, and the word beautiful couldn’t describe her in her entirety. 

He could call her hair golden, but it still didn’t capture her richness. He could compare her eyes to emeralds, and it still wouldn’t tell how precious they were. He could say her voice was a melody, and it still couldn’t describe how much he loved the song she sang each time she spoke. With every passing day, she grew more and more into the goddess whose blood she carried in her veins. She radiated a power and displayed a wisdom he’d never seen before, yet it felt so familiar to him that it never surprised him. He could watch her for hours, whether she was studying the Sheikah technology or praying at the foot of a goddess statue (not that he did, obviously, because that was sacred and private). It didn’t feel like a job--it never had. He’d give his life for her over and over again, like it was written into his blood and soul. Like he’d done it before. 

With how far they’d come, Link wondered just how much could one feel for a single person. If he could shield her from the world, he would. But she didn’t need that. Zelda was strong and independent, but what he wouldn’t give to remain by her side for as long as he could.

She took his arm again and rested her head against his shoulder. Her hold was as gentle as she. Her fingers intertwined with his and he gave her hand a small squeeze.

“Link?” 

He hummed to let her know he was listening and ready to answer any question she wanted to ask. 

“What do you want for Hylia’s Day?”

The gift giving tradition held true even to this year, but Link didn’t quite know how to answer her. What he  _ really  _ wanted was her. He wanted her to be happy and safe and secure. He wanted the goddess to respond, and for her powers to awaken so she could just enjoy whatever time they had left. 

Was there a stronger word that fit this feeling than yearning? Yearning for Zelda and her life and her future. 

He bit his cheek in thought, because none of that could be said aloud.

“I want a promise,” he replied at last. “that once this is all over, you’ll keep researching. And that maybe I can stay your knight attendant for as long as you tolerate me.”

“Link.. I can’t promise anything. If I can’t awaken this power, then-“

“You will,” he said, holding her hand tighter. “I believe in you.”

Zelda smiled at him—weak and small, but it still filled him with a warmth that made him feel all the more confident.

“I want a day off to just relax with our friends,” she stated, returning her head to his shoulder.

“ _ All _ of our friends?”

“Yes, even Revali.”

Link chuckled and shook his head, watching the last of the fireworks pop. He’d never felt more relaxed than he did then. It was like they belonged there. Something about her was so calming that he didn’t want to go back to the castle just yet. 

“Thank you,” she spoke softly into the quieting night. “For tonight.”

He wished he could kiss her.

Instead, he gave her hand a squeeze and said, “Anything you want, Princess. Just say the word.”


	4. Last Christmas | Broken Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda doesn’t quite know what to do and makes a decision she thought she wanted. **Not directly related to Christmas, but setting up for a future prompt that does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: So, this is a breakup fic. If things like that negatively affect you, I suggest skipping this one <3  
> BotW Modern AU with a part two (and a happy ending) coming on day #10!

There were cans of soda on the table, unopened but still cold to the touch, with a plate of cookies in between them. The TV was on, with the Hyflix selection screen up and ready. There were blankets and pillows piled on the couch, ready to be used for a fort or a nest, or whatever they decided to do with them. Everything looked perfect, and far too normal for the night she was planning. Part of her thought she’d actually never be able to go through with it, and she didn’t know if that comforted her or stressed her out further.

But she didn’t have time to sit around and think about it, contemplating it until she chickened out, because her phone lit up with a text message. Zelda bit her lip and considered texting him to go away, but her legs carried her to the door on instinct and his smile was so bright that she felt nauseated. 

“Hey,” she greeted away, and the smile that crossed her lips was too easy to be fake. 

“Hey,” he replied, pressing a kiss to her nose. She scrunched her face up in response and stepped aside to let him into the apartment. “I brought some ice cream.”

“You remembered! And you just picked it up! You didn’t need to make a special trip,” she scolded, following him into the kitchen. 

“Of course I did. It’s not a movie night without ice cream.” 

_Goddesses_ , why did he have to be so sweet? Zelda tugged at the sleeves of her shirt, then adjusted her shorts, but nothing was helping soothe the anxiety slowly suffocating her. 

“Well, it’s your pick tonight, so, um, hurry it up,” she said, dropping onto the couch and grabbing a pillow.

“Alright, alright. I’m coming,” he called with a laugh. She sunk into the cushions and hugged the pillow to her chest, fighting to keep the smile off her lips. He could make her smile so easily. Usually, she loved that about him. 

He grabbed the remote from the table and dropped into the space besides her. She curled up against him almost immediately, tucking her feet underneath her, and watched as he scrolled through the movie titles. There were plenty left to watch since they kept adding to their list, but Zelda almost wanted him to pick a random movie of questionable quality–a movie she wasn’t likely to watch again. But he chose an animated movie, something that looked adorable, and she didn’t say anything as she reached for a drink and popped it open. Link’s arms encircled her and held her close, and she closed her eyes for a moment just to drink it all in. 

All she wanted to do was stop time and stay right there. But she knew better than to believe that was possible and to make pointless wishes. She didn’t _have_ to do this, not really. She liked to think she’d made up her mind, though. 

She tried not to focus on it yet.

Zelda leaned her head on his shoulder and played with his fingers just to give her something to do. His hands were soft and he gave her gentle squeezes every now and then, making her heart burst inside of her chest. 

“She reminds me of you,” Link said, pointing towards the TV. She lifted an eyebrow at him.

“Why’s that?”

“She’s crazy smart, and she’s a little badass.”

She laughed, bumping her shoulder against him and shaking her head.

“Then he reminds me of you because he’s an idiot.”

It was Link’s turn to laugh. She almost cut it off with a kiss before thinking better of it and instead going back to her original position. Hardly ten minutes had passed before he spoke again, and it seemed she wasn’t as subtle as she was trying to be because he paused the movie and took her hands.

“Zel, you’ve been really quiet. Are you okay?”

“No,” she admitted, without thinking much about it. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, bringing one of his hands up to cup her cheek. A simple gesture, one he’d done a thousand times over, was enough to break her into tears. “Zel..”

“I-I.. we need to break up,” she said quickly, wiping furiously at her eyes. Link paused, searching her eyes with a frown. His expression ripped her heart in pieces, but the words were out now and she couldn’t take them back.

“..why?” he asked, his voice so quiet she almost didn’t hear him. She’d _planned_ this. She wanted it to go better than this. She had a speech planned and everything, a whole explanation of why, but all she could manage was a pathetic:

“ _I don’t know_.”

Link cupped her face again, brushing gently at the never ending tears, and he didn’t say a word. Then, he nodded once. 

“Okay. Okay, take a breath, Zelda. I’m.. I’m gonna make some tea, and we’re gonna talk about this. Okay?”

Zelda nodded and once he’d disappeared into the kitchen, she took her pillow and buried her face in it. If she cried any harder, she’d suffocate. But that was fine with her. If she suffocated, she wouldn’t have to see the heartbreak on his face. 

Link didn’t return until he had two cups of warm tea in his hands. By then, she was able to breathe again. She took the mug from his hands but didn’t bother offering a smile. It wouldn’t help anything if she did, she was sure. He left a space between them when he sat too, which was fitting. But it still brought her heartache.

“Are you ready to talk about it?” he asked, extending a hand to her. She took it, and she didn’t know if she appreciated or hated how patient he was being.

“I just.. goddesses, this is a _mess_.”

“Take your time.”

Zelda shook her head and when he squeezed her hand she almost burst into tears again. 

“I’m scared, I guess. I mean, we’re starting college and we’re going to be so far apart and..”

“I’d call you every night and I’d drive out to see you any time you said the word.”

“I know you would–” that’s what made it worse, “but I can’t.. I mean, if we get busy.. I don’t know how to balance everything yet. I just thought maybe it’d be safer for us if we.. took a little break until we figured it all out. It wouldn’t be fair to you if we got halfway into the semester and.. and I couldn’t handle it.”

It sounded pathetic. It sounded like excuses. All of her _genuine_ concerns that could’ve been handled in a conversation sounded like an easy way out and she _hated_ it. She’d rehearsed this all week, all day, and she was so frustrated at how awful it’d come out. She dropped her face into her pillow again, because she couldn’t look at him. But his fingers, warm from the cup of tea, threaded through her hair.

“Zelda.. I respect you. Is this what you want?” he asked. 

“Yes. I don’t know,” she repeated, lifting her head from the pillow and wiping her eyes.

“Do you want to try, or do you think we should just.. take a break, see how the semester goes..?” 

He looked so upset. Goddesses, she felt sick. 

“I’m sorry,” she said. The tears were welling up again. He must’ve noticed, because he sighed softly and pulled her against his chest. Zelda held tightly onto his shirt, fighting to keep her breathing even. It was no use though, because his fingers were back in her hair, and she was soaking his shirt. 

“I love you,” he mumbled against her head. “And if you need a break, we can take one. I’m willing to wait for you to figure things out. And if you decide that it’s better for you, then I won’t try to, like, _beg_ you to take me back or anything.”

Zelda giggled weakly, tilting her head so she could look up at him.

“I love you too,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. 

“I’m gonna go,” he said with a tiny smile as he stood from the couch. “You look like you could use some sleep.”

She knew that wasn’t the reason, and it didn’t make her feel any better. But she nodded and said, “I’m sorry we didn’t get to finish the movie.”

“I’ll forgive you if I can get a kiss for the road.” 

She knew what he meant by that, too. She stood up anyway with a weak smile of her own and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. He held her close, with his arms around her waist, and she didn’t want him to let go. But he did, and she tried not to reach for him when he stepped away.

“Text me when you’re home?” she asked.

“Always.” 

And then he was gone. Zelda locked her apartment door behind him and leaned back against it, burying her face in her hands. She’d gotten what she thought she wanted. She should’ve felt relieved, but all she really felt was regret. 

Link had never been anything but kind and loving to her. He didn’t deserve this. It was why she didn’t go after him. He’d left her to cry in peace, and she owed it to him to do the same. 

Why did she do this? What did she gain but a broken heart, something she brought upon herself? 

Her phone lit up again. 

[I’m home. Keep the ice cream <3]


	5. My Only Wish | Naughty or Nice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda reads about a foreign holiday called Christmas and decides to bring to life one of the traditions for the other Champions. She’ll need a red suit and a bag of gifts, but luckily she knows just the person to pull off the holly, jolly Santa Claus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BotW Pre-Calamity Zelink, not AoC related. No warnings apply!

Link was beginning to wonder if the pressure was getting to the princess. She was always pushing forwards in the face of adversity, but it wasn’t her frustration and sadness that made him believe she’d finally cracked. 

It was when they took up residence in her study and she whirled on him with a book in her hands about goddesses only knew what.

“I’ve conducted some research,” she began, which was not new to him but filled him with a sense of playful dread anyway, “regarding Hylia’s Day and other holidays we celebrate here in Hyrule. We know that culture and religion are the basis of all holidays, and the difference in what is celebrated and how stems from those traditions. I was curious about the world outside of Hyrule. I thought perhaps I could read _something_ about their beliefs and traditions that could help me awaken my power, but I found a celebration that’s incredibly similar to ours.”

She dropped the book on her desk and cracked it open, beckoning for him to join her. He stepped over, standing close enough so that when he leaned forwards to join her over the pages of the book, he could smell the flowery scent of her hair. 

He couldn’t read anything on the page. Not when his attention was taken up entirely by her. So he listened to her speak again, following her fingers dancing along the page.

“A religion referred to as Christianity celebrates something called Christmas. For worshipers of the faith, this day is celebrated as the birth of their savior. But the holiday became something widely celebrated by people not of that faith. It became a day of giving gifts and spending time with family. People decorate with trees and lights and hold grand parties. And just like how Hylia brings joy and peace to families on Hylia’s Eve, they too have a figure that travels to every corner of the world, leaving gifts for the children! Multiple sources have claimed that this figure keeps a list sorting the children into categories—meaning whether or not they’ve been naughty in the past year, or nice. Naughty children are given coal, which is quite funny really. He goes by quite a bit of names, too. Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Kris Kringle, Saint Nicholas—but they’re essentially talking about the same figure.”

“There’s a lot of similarities,” Link agreed, glancing in her direction. 

“I know what you’re thinking. What does any of this have to do with the sealing power?” Her cheeks flushed, the pink tint reaching to the tips of her ears. “Well, ah… it doesn’t. But Hylia’s Day is coming up and… and everyone’s been so down and patience is wearing thin and I thought perhaps we could do something to cheer everyone up.”

He wasn’t sure what sort of unseen force compelled him to obey the princess. Yet he couldn’t even bring himself to think that the scheme she’d come up with was absurd. He’d follow her to the ends of Hyrule should she ask him to. 

It was why he wasn’t exactly surprised to find himself accompanying Zelda and a holly, jolly Daruk across Hyrule. Though he couldn’t believe the princess had actually crafted the entirety of Father Christmas’s red outfit.

“This Sandy Claws really doesn’t know fashion,” the Goron said, adjusting the hat upon his head. “The less restrictive the clothing, the better for movement.”

“You play the part very well,” Zelda assured, patting the towering boulder on the arm. “Besides, I read that he’s quite the eater. Children leave out cookies and milk for him, so perhaps you’ll get lucky tonight.”

“If the cookies are prime, crunchy rock, then I can hardly resist. Right, brother?”

Daruk slapped him on his back, sending Link tumbling forwards. Zelda’s arms caught him, and he was quick to regain his balance with the feeling that the Goron did that on purpose.

“Besides, we’re really only visiting the other Champions. I wish we could do more, but we’re lacking the magical sleigh that can travel at the speed of light,” Zelda spoke again, tapping away at the Sheikah Slate. 

“Santa leaving Santa a gift, huh?”

“Oh, Link already took care of that. You’re not allowed to open it until the morning.”

Daruk turned to look at him, surprised. Link only shrugged with a small, only slightly smug smile.

“I’m sneaky,” he said. The Goron laughed and Link took a step closer to Zelda to prevent being slapped on the back and sent tumbling off of Death Mountain.

“So what did you deem me?” Daruk asked, his hands resting on his hips to Link’s utter relief.

“Nice, of course,” Zelda replied with a pat to his arm. “I can’t think of anyone who might be classified as naughty.”

Link could think of one.

But he didn’t voice his opinion and instead shrugged in agreement, and the three of them were off to Zora’s Domain. He had to admit wearing the green of the mythical Santa’s Elves was an experience—he felt a sort of respect for the color. But it was nothing compared to how Zelda looked in her costume. She’d really gone all out for this, with a green little hat and all. It was cute, and admirable really, that she was willing to go so far to spread happiness. 

Happiness they desperately needed right now, with the Calamity looming ever above their heads and constricting them like a snake.

_Anyway._

He supposed it would’ve been hard for anyone not to react upon seeing three oddly dressed individuals, Zora guardsmen included. But all the Princess of Hyrule had to do was smile and they let it go without question.

“What’s your ruling on Mipha, Father Christmas?” Zelda asked, lifting the Sheikah Slate.

“Nice,” Daruk decided, rather unsurprisingly. But Link nodded in agreement.

“Sidon too. Can’t leave something for Mipha and not her little brother,” he pointed out.

“I’m hurt you think I hadn’t considered that,” replied Zelda with a satisfied smile. “Alright, each package is specifically wrapped. Mipha gets the red box with the blue bow, and Sidon is the blue box with the red bow.”

Daruk swung the red sack from his shoulder and rummaged through it.

“You might have to do this one, tiny princess. Not sure how the big guy does it without waking anyone.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’re more than capable! We’ll be right there with you,” Zelda encouraged, pulling something from the Sheikah Slate. “But if you feel you need it, I made an elixir that increases stealth.”

“What would we do without you?” 

The trip into Zora’s domain was relatively short after that. Zelda slipped into Mipha’s room to deliver the gift while Daruk and Link took care of Sidon, and she was pleased to know it’d been successful. Then, they were on their way to Gerudo for the next Champion. 

“Urbosa was incredibly hard to gift,” the princess said, thinking aloud. But Link was listening anyway, glancing over to her incase she decided to continue. 

“What did you end up getting her?” Daruk asked as he paused to rummage through the sack of presents. 

“Something of my mother’s,” Zelda replied simply, eyeing the small, wrapped box. “I think she would treasure it.”

A tiny smile graced her lips and Link felt his fingers twitch with the urge to take her hand. But she didn’t look sad. If anything, she looked comforted.

“You should deliver this one, Princess. I mean, Santa or not, Link and I can’t get into town,” Daruk pointed out. 

“I’ll be quick,” she promised before disappearing behind the walls of Gerudo Town. And while he knew she was safe there, he always felt an anxiety he couldn’t place.

“She’s real spirited,” said Daruk, nearly knocking Link over with his nudge. “It’s mighty kind of her to want to do this for us.”

“She wants to spread happiness,” he replied with a small shrug. 

“And is it working?” the Goron asked. Link didn’t answer, but he made a point to not look at Daruk and instead kept his gaze on the arching entrance to the town. A few minutes later, Zelda came back out and the group made their way to Hebra.

“Revali,” Zelda spoke, tapping at the slate. “What’s your ruling?”

“Naughty,” Link replied, without missing a beat. The Princess stared at him for a moment, then pressed a hand to her mouth to muffle her laughter. 

“I don’t want to agree, but..” Daruk said, scratching his beard, “he did call me an ‘oversized pebble’.”

“Revali’s just..” 

“Mean,” Link input, cutting Zelda off without really intending to.

“I was going to say young.”

“Well, so are you and the little guy here!” Daruk argued.

“Revali is a strong personality, and the Rito are a proud people,” Zelda stated, crossing her arms over her chest. “It would be rather rude to gift everyone but him.”

“I thought Santa’s whole thing was rewarding the good and punishing the bad,” said Daruk.

“Yes, but Revali isn’t bad, per say. Besides, we didn’t bring any coal.”

“I live on a volcano.”

“..Daruk.. tell me you did not pack coal.”

“That would be a lie, tiny princess.”

It was Link’s turn to fight back a laugh this time, biting the inside of his cheeks to keep it contained.

“Well, I can’t exactly _stop_ you. But be sure to leave the real present too!”

But Daruk had disappeared into Rito Village, leaving the elf-dressed duo behind.

“I still think Revali would be on the naughty list,” Link said with a shrug. Zelda gave him a playful shove.

“Be nice,” she reprimanded, shaking her head.

“Do you think it’s possible for Revali to be nice?”

“I— I refuse to speak ill about any of my Champions,” but she was smiling through her words and that was enough of an agreement for Link. “I do hope Daruk hurries. I’m not sure how long the stealth elixir will last.”

“I’m sure that would make for an interesting sight to wake up to.”

To that, she laughed. Maybe the best part of the night was getting to spend time with her outside of Calamity related business. It almost felt like they were friends.

And then Daruk was back, and the group got ready to part ways. 

“Thank you, Daruk. It was fun,” Zelda spoke, setting a hand on his arm.

“The fun’s not done just yet, tiny princess. I’ve got two more on the nice list to gift.” The Goron pulled two more wrapped gifts from his bag, handed one to each of them, then set off for Death Mountain with a wink.

Link looked at the gift in his hands, something a little heavy with a beautiful wrapping job that could only have been done by nimble fingers. He glanced up at Zelda, who seemed just as surprised. 

Well, it seemed he wasn’t the only one who snuck something into the bag.

“Um,” she spoke, fiddling with her unopened gift. “I just.. it’s nothing big, but I.. I thought you’d enjoy it and you’re a Champion as well..”

_Oh_ , it was a cue. Link nodded once, then carefully unwrapped the rectangular object. What remained in his hands was a book, and a fairly thick one at that.

“I had to beg every chef I know to get the recipes,” Zelda said again, taking a slight step forward. “It contains food from Faron to Goron City, as much as I could find. I also threw in some older recipes I found in cookbooks in the library, but I’m not sure how good any of them are.”

“I.. thank you,” Link replied, because there was really nothing he could say. He looked up at Zelda and offered a small smile, even if it wouldn’t be enough. 

She ducked her head and started to open her own gift. As soon as the treat was revealed, he found it was his turn to nervously explain.

“I heard it’s your favorite. I, uh, scribbled down a recipe I found, so if it’s not good..”

But she was smiling at him, and his words died on his tongue.

“My mother used to make a fruitcake every Hylia’s Day,” she said, and before he could give an apology or say anything else, she was hugging him. “Thank you.”

When Link returned to his quarters for the rest of the night away, he fell asleep with one thought in his head.

One day, he would love to cook every recipe in that book for the Princess.


	6. Make it to Christmas | Holding On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda decides that her children are old enough to hear the story of the Hero of Time and it resurfaces old feelings that never left.  
> An Ocarina of Time selection, post-game events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zelda reminiscing on Link. It's just a bunch of angst

“The princess was taken far away from the castle so that she could be safe, and she didn’t see the little hero for a very long time.” **  
**

The children blinked up at her with round, sparkling eyes. The tradition of a bedtime story on Hylia’s Eve never faltered, and she heard her children boast about how their mother had the best stories to anyone who would give them the chance. They were old enough now, she believed, to hear the story of the Hero of Time. Her daughter leaned forwards onto her hands, then tugged at the sleeve of Zelda’s nightgown.

“What happened to the little hero?” she asked, her voice high and full of youth and curiosity.

“The little hero ventured into the great, holy temple like the princess had asked him to, and he put the three jewels onto the altar. A grand door opened to reveal the Sword of Legend, but when the little hero pulled it out, the evil king was _right behind him_!” Zelda grabbed the sides of her son, snatching the little boy up and making him giggle. “The king touched the Triforce, but because he was not pure of heart, it broke apart and the little hero was trapped in the sacred realm!”

“No!” cried the little boy, prying at his mother’s hands. 

“Yes!” Zelda replied as she swung him through the air. “And he slept for seven long years while the evil king took over the kingdom!”

“But what about _the princess_?” asked the girl as she shook her mother’s arm. “Where did she go? What happened to her?”

“You’re getting ahead,” warned Zelda, running her fingers through the child’s hair. “We must focus on the hero for a little longer.”

Her daughter she sat back with crossed arms and a pout on her lips, but she said no further complaints. So Zelda, with a soft and lighthearted chuckle, continued with her story as she placed her son back on the bed.

“When the little hero woke up all those years later, he wasn’t so little anymore. He’d grown into a young adult, and the Sage of Light told him what had happened–that the evil king tore the kingdom apart, and that he needed to venture through five temples across the land to free the other sages. But when the hero reached the Forest Temple, he learned that he wasn’t alone. A Sheikah warrior named Sheik taught him almost every song he needed and guided him to every temple. But Sheik couldn’t go with him inside, for only a hero who bore courage could, so the hero ventured in by himself and was faced with many scary monsters.

“He fought a phantom of the evil king in the Forest Temple, and an ancient dragon in the Fire Temple, and an amoeba in the Water Temple, but he still had two more to go. The Shadow Temple housed a dark creature called Bongo Bongo, and the Spirit Temple held sister sorceresses known to many as Twinrova. But the hero _prevailed_ , and with the Sages free, he could return to the sacred Temple of Time! 

“But someone was waiting there for him. Sheik, the warrior who’d helped the hero get this far, revealed himself to actually be the princess in disguise!”

Her daughter gasped and fell backwards onto the bed, throwing an arm over her eyes. 

“I _knew_ it!” she cried. “I knew it was her!”

“No you didn’t!” her brother argued, sticking his tongue out. Zelda wanted to laugh, because her daughter was bright and true, and it was very likely she’d guessed it all along. But her brother did not like to be outperformed.

“Yes I did!”

“If you argue, we won’t be able to finish the story,” Zelda warned. “I’d have to send you to bed without the ending—and that’s _if_ it’s still early enough for the White Goddess to pass.”

The children immediately straightened up, looking at their mother with pleading eyes. She almost laughed again, but she knew in order for the White Goddess to make her pass, the children needed to be asleep. The story had to come to an end before then.

“Once the princess revealed herself to the hero,” she continued, “the evil king appeared and trapped her in a glowing crystal! The hero ran to her, but she was already gone. To get her back, he had to venture deep into the evil king’s castle and climb up the tallest tower, where the evil king was waiting. He taunted the hero, but the hero was stronger. He beat the evil king and freed the princess, but the king used the rest of his power to _collapse_ the tower! The princess and the hero had to run as fast as they could to escape, and the castle crumbled behind them.”

“They won!” cried the little boy. “I knew he could do it!”

“But _then_ ,” Zelda interrupted, a smile tugging at her lips when his face dropped and eyes widened. “The evil king emerged from the rubble and revealed his true form—a giant pig monster! The hero was forced to fight him again, a second time, but the monster was so much bigger than him that he couldn’t beat it with his sword alone. He had to use light arrows of which the princess had gifted him. She wasn’t sure there was any hope left and she wished so badly that she could help, but the hero continued to fight until finally, the king was defeated for good! The princess and the six Sages sealed the monster in the sacred realm, and peace was restored to the kingdom at long last.”

Her son, whose eyes were bright with the thought of adventure, fell back onto the bed and waved his hands as if he were holding a sword.

“When I grow up, I’m gonna be a hero and save a kingdom!” he declared. Zelda let out a small laugh and pulled the blanket over him.

“You’ll be a wonderful little hero,” she said and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. His eyes fluttered shut and within seconds, he was dreaming.

Her daughter had moved to her own bed in the meantime and was curled up around a pillow when Zelda approached.

“What happened to the hero and the princess?” the girl asked, staring up at her through tired eyes. 

“What happens in every fairytale,” Zelda replied, her smile sad and weak. “They got married and lived happily ever after.”

Satisfied, the daughter rolled onto her side and closed her eyes. Zelda gave her a kiss, then shut the door to the room behind her as she left. The walk to her own bedroom was slow and the holly and fairies that decorated the halls felt foreign to her. Much of the castle felt foreign to her now, and every year stretched her heartstrings so thin she worried they would snap.

In her bedroom, laying in her bed, was her husband. But he was not the hero, and he never would be. It was nothing more than a diplomatic arrangement meant to benefit Hyrule, and the two managed to get along quite alright for the sake of their little family. But her heart belonged far from here, sealed behind the gateways of time with a boy she would never see again. She found she would never quite heal from that time, from her decision to send him back, and she knew that holding on would only hurt her further.

But she sat on the silken sheets of her bed and cradled the Ocarina of Time in her hands as she watched the stars crawl through the blackened sky out of her window. She wondered faintly where that little boy was now, though she was certain he wasn’t a little boy anymore, even if she had sent him back to his childhood. She wondered if he was alive and well, and if he had ventured from the forest yet. She wondered if his granted freedom treated him with kindness and kept him safe. She thought of his soft blue eyes, so bright despite the sorrow and trauma they held, and how it had felt when he turned those eyes on her. She thought of his hands, warm and gentle whenever they would touch hers. She thought of their late night conversations they shared during his journey, when he poured his heart out to Sheik about his worry for the princess and about the horrors of the temples. She thought about the expression on his face when she spoke about sending him back–about his hesitancy and reluctance and horror. She thought about how the thought to kiss him crossed her mind, the thought to pour her heart out, and part of her wished that she had done so. But had she done it, she would not have been strong enough to send him back. She knew it wise to not indulge in things that could not be.

Zelda stood, her steps slow and quiet as she entered the balcony. The winter air was cold and she shivered, but it was something to feel other than sadness, so she did not return inside. She lifted the ocarina to her lips, but she had no song to play. 

She knew should she wish to keep her sanity, the best course of action would be to lock the ocarina where she would never think of it again. But it was all she had left of that little hero. The thought crossed her mind, and she wondered if in a different lifetime, they’d gotten their happily ever after. She hadn’t–not in this time, but she hoped that the hero she’d sent back received his, whatever it may have consisted of.

The clock in her room chimed at the change of hour. The twelve soft chimes that followed told her that it was midnight. She did not know how long she’d been standing there. Zelda rubbed her eyes–dry, for she had a sorrow that reached far past crying–and looked up at the stars once more.

“Happy Hylia’s Day, Link,” she whispered out onto the wind, just as she did every year. And just like every year before, there was no answer as she turned and slipped into her bed.


	7. Coming Home After Being Away | I'll be Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link left years ago to search for his fairy and never returned. Zelda tried not to lose hope. He made her a promise, after all. A sequel to tomorrow's prompt and might mention slight spoilers for Majora's Mask. I tried to keep it vague because I know very little about it myself outside of the summary I read so I can write this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ocarina of Time Zelink in the child timeline?? I'd be lying if I said I knew how the timelines worked.

“Your gown is ready, your highness.”

“Thank you,” Zelda answered, nodding in the direction of her lady-in-waiting. “I’ll be there shortly.”

When the door shut behind her, the princess turned her gaze back to the long dried flower. She set it carefully onto the page with the others and slowly closed the book, ensuring no petals or leaves crumbled in the process. The book was placed back on the shelf, right next to the Ocarina of Time and a dust-covered medal imprinted with the crest of Hyrule. She had no time to gaze at the reminders of her childhood this afternoon, because there was beckoning from all directions that insisted on getting her ready in time.

Zelda stepped through the doors of the washroom, where she was pleasantly surprised to see the water was still warm. A wash of her hair and a soap of lavender scent would treat her well and be pleasant to anyone in close proximity. She could not deny her maidens the credit--they always went above and beyond to make sure she was presentable in every fashion. A grand event called for twice the effort, so the princess sat without complaint in her robe as they brushed gentle powders over her face. 

“Are you excited, Princess?” asked a maiden as she painted a color onto Zelda’s closed eyelids. “I hear there are princes from outside of Hyrule coming to get a glimpse of you.”

“Oh, is that so? I hope one takes a liking to you, Elizabeth,” she replied, folding her hands in her lap. “You would fare well with royalty.”

“You’re too kind,” Elizabeth said, and Zelda could hear the blush on her cheeks. “No man would notice me.”

“Hold yourself high,” Zelda encouraged as she pried her eyes open. “Everyone is deserving of love and happiness.”

“Do you hope to find love tonight?” asked the maiden behind her, who was busy twisting her hair into an elegant knot. 

“I believe that whatever is fated will happen in time. If that time is tonight, then so be it.” It was a far better answer than telling them she had found love long ago and had no intentions of finding it again. 

Zelda could hardly blame the maidens for their excited chatter and shared whispers. She pretended not to notice them, because their one form of entertainment was to gossip. Anyone who gossiped with ill intention was not worth troubling herself with, and while they were far from it, she didn’t pay any mind to them. It was not her business what anyone said about her, or about the anticipated guests, or about themselves. She had other matters to concern herself with.

An hour had passed by, and she was finally permitted to stand from the chair and move to the next room. A silken slip hugged her form and protected her skin from the rough edges of the corset. There weren’t many layers, but she was still grateful for the design of the dress. 

It was a soft pink, a color to match the rose on her cheeks and paint on her lips. The skirt consisted of multiple layers that ruffled out into a pattern at the bottom. There were lace and glittering jewels sewed onto the bodice that caught the light. The neck cut low, but not low enough to be anything but modest. The top of her sleeves were rather poufy and the rest poured off in pink streams, but they were transparent and light. It fit her well.

The crown on her head, golden and sparkling with precious rubies made her look like a blossoming queen. She would turn heads tonight, more so than usual, and it was all thanks to her dressmaker and maidens. But she was already exhausted, and the ball hadn’t even begun. 

Yet she was being escorted through the halls of the castle and steered towards the ballroom, which was already filling up with people. She could see that the maidens were right--there were people from everywhere, even outside of Hyrule. She wondered just how many suitors her father had contacted.

She supposed she would find out shortly, because her father had gathered the attention of the crowd and was now introducing her. With no more room to run, Zelda stepped out from the archway and down the stairs. The king took her hands and pulled her in for a kiss, and she had to fight back a smile.

“I’m not married yet, father,” she said, reaching up a hand to brush away a tear from his cheek.

“No,” he agreed and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “You really do look like your mother.”

“So I’ve heard,” she replied with a laugh. “It’s not too late to call them off. I could refuse to marry, stay with you.”

It was the king’s turn to laugh as he leaned his forehead to hers.

“Go,” he urged. 

She pulled her hands free and pressed a kiss to his cheek before gathering her skirts and descending into the crowd. Various diplomats were on her immediately, greeting her and complimenting her and talking her into a frenzy about their own nations and accomplishments, no doubt trying to impress her. All she could do was smile and nod and pretend she was interested until another person came along to sweep her away.

“My father owns quite the bit of land,” a lord whose name she’d forgotten boasted as he twirled her across the floor. “It could be an advantage for both kingdoms.”

“Yes,” Zelda agreed, but she didn’t voice her knowledge of where this was going. The kingdoms were far enough apart that they’d try to force her to move and give up the rule of Hyrule--which was _not_ an option as far as she was concerned. So when the next person cut in for a dance, she was more than willing to switch partners.

“I hear Hyrule has been at the edge of not one, but two civil wars within the past century. I have no room to suggest anything, but I can offer some tactics that would help convince the provinces to obey,” said a prince from a nation she’d never heard of. 

“Hyrule has managed quite well on our own,” Zelda replied, fighting to keep the bite out of her voice. “But thank you. Should we need assistance again, we will be sure to reach out.”

“My father believes in discipline. That’s the only way to make a child listen,” continued the prince, as if he hadn’t heard a word she said.

“I’ve found that _competent_ parents can make do without the use of force,” she stated simply and used a passing server with a tray of wine to make her escape. She was not technically of age to be drinking, but no one knew that as far as she was aware, and if the night was going to continue like this, then a glass or two wouldn’t hurt.

She was happy to find the wine dry but sweet, and she recognized the danger of something so tasty. While a duke rambled away to her, she _reluctantly_ reduced her number of glasses to one for the night. The last thing she needed was for these men to think she was under any sort of influence.

When she was granted a moment to herself again, Zelda ducked further into the crowd until she found someone familiar to her. Nabooru, the not-so-new Gerudo chief, was in attendance, dressed in glittering Gerudo jewels.

“Princess,” greeted Nabooru with her arms open for a hug. “You look as lovely as a rose.”

“It’s lovely to see you again. How is Gerudo Valley fairing?” Zelda asked, taking caution not to spill her drink during the hug.

“Very well, thanks to you. The funds your father lent us were enough to not only build a proper town, but to conduct repairs to the Desert Colossus. With Impa’s consistent transport of food and resources, we’ve managed to turn ourselves around.”

“It does no good to dwell on the past. We can only own up to our mistakes and move forwards from here. Had it not been for our mistreatment of the Gerudo in the first place, Ganondorf would never have felt the need to avenge the pride lost in the civil war.”

“Lighten up, kid,” Nabooru said with a grin. “Things are looking up. Have you found a suitor to your liking yet?”

“Hardly,” Zelda replied, leaning closer as she lowered her voice. “The men I’ve spoken to so far are so full of arrogance and a lust for power.”

“That’s men for you,” Nabooru answered as she took a seat at a table. Zelda smiled and slid into the seat across from her, setting her glass down on the white tablecloth. “Don’t let any of them fool you. Ganondorf had a winning smile and the charm of a king, but look what he truly turned out to be.”

“For all of your skill and beauty, I cannot believe you settled for him.”

“Hey, Gerudo men are in _very_ limited supply. When you’re a naïve girl, a powerful man giving you attention is enough to cloud your mind. I’m happy you’re able to see through that.”

“I would offer to marry you if you were younger,” Zelda joked as she picked up her wine to take another sip. “If any of your warriors are available and interested, I’d be more than happy to comply.”

Nabooru laughed.

“It’s going that badly, huh?” 

“I’ve danced with at least eight men so far tonight, and I think _three_ of them were named ‘Edward’,” Zelda whispered with a laugh of her own. 

“I don’t think you’re one to talk, Princess. Which ‘ _Zelda_ ’ are you again? The thirtieth? The forty-seventh?”

Zelda rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t reply because it would seem her time was up. There was a prince who spoke from besides her with an “I’m sorry to interrupt” (oh, he’d _better_ be) and a request to dance.

“Find your prince charming,” Nabooru said, waving Zelda away with her hand. The princess gave her friend a playful glare as she took the prince’s hand and was pulled back towards the center of the ballroom.

“Might I ask who requested my hand in dance?” she asked with a polite smile. Now that she was closer, this prince seemed younger than her. Not by much, but by enough for her to be a little taller than him.

“My name is Prince Henry of the Liles Empire, just off the north coast of Hyrule,” he replied. “It’s a pleasure to see your beauty up close.”

“Likewise,” she said, though she hardly meant it. He was not bad on the eyes, but those who approached her with comments on her appearance struck her as vain and, well, in it for just that. She could be reading them wrong of course, but she’d learned how to navigate her instincts and properly react after Ganondorf’s plan had been thwarted. 

“If I’m being honest, I do not know how to hold a proper conversation with a lady such as yourself,” stated Henry as he led them in a circle. 

“I could not tell,” she replied with a patient and gentle smile. 

“My mother convinced me to ask you to dance. She believes an alliance would benefit our kingdoms.”

“A smart lady. Many of the others here tonight have said the same thing.”

“I don’t want to marry, though. You’re beautiful and kind, but I..” 

Zelda gave the poor boy’s hand a squeeze. She knew his position quite well, if she was reading him correctly. All people had their secrets and anxieties. She would likely never see him again, so she felt she could be his peace, even if only for a moment.

“It’s an unpleasant position to be in,” she supplied, twirling him in the direction of a smaller crowd.

“It is. I couldn’t force myself to love anyone else.”

“Oh? Do you have someone in mind?” 

A blush crossed the young boy’s face, but he looked eager to tell someone. He was the first of the night not interested in her or her land, so she was more than happy to indulge him.

“A kitchen girl back in my kingdom. She came to deliver breakfast one day when my servant fell ill and spilled tea on me.”

“Ah, a fairytale meeting,” Zelda replied with a small laugh.

“She’s beautiful. But my parents would never hear of it.”

“Stay true to your heart. I was always told that those fated to be together will find each other in time. To those who won’t agree, I say if you aren’t happy, how could you ever be expected to make a kingdom happy?

“They told me you were wise, but you speak as if you know the pain yourself.”

Zelda offered a sad smile. Perhaps one glass had been too many, because she was about to bare her soul to this young prince she’d met only minutes ago.

“I love a boy from my childhood,” she told him, cracking open old scars. “A little boy from the forest who helped me catch a tyrant. He disappeared years ago and no one has seen him since.”

“I’m sorry, Princess.”

“If I may offer advice, Prince Henry, tell your kitchen girl properly that you love her. But take care of your heart. It’s the only one you have.”

She tried to spend as much time around Prince Henry as possible. She found him pleasant company and he could be quite silly, but after an hour, the young prince could no longer keep the other suitors at bay. She was whisked away again, and she was growing very tired. 

Her feet were sore in her heels, and her corset felt tighter with every tick closer to midnight. Yet she wasn’t dismissed yet, and she was determined to make it through this. No one could say she hadn’t tried.

Zelda searched the crowd for Nabooru again, longing for another conversation with a competent person, but she’d hardly taken two steps before another voice interrupted her.

“Princess Zelda, might I request a dance?”

She held back a sigh and plastered yet another polite smile on her lips as she turned, but she was not a good enough actor to keep it from slipping away. Her eyes widened and she took a step back, because she was convinced for a moment that she was dreaming.

His eyes were a striking blue, a color she’d accustomed herself with long ago. His smile was charming instead of crooked, but his dimples were just the same. He was taller now and he lacked the forest color he once ran around in, but something about him told her he hadn’t changed that much at all.

“Link..?” she whispered out, then clamped her hands over her mouth like she was afraid of someone hearing her. A breeze slipped past them when a couple whizzed by, but that wasn’t why she was trembling.

“I realize I’m six years late, and I apologize,” he replied, his cheeks reddening with shame. “But I made a promise to you, and I couldn’t bear to break it.”

“You..” For all of her wise words throughout the night, she found it very hard to speak. She took a hesitant step forward, then lifted her hand. Her fingertips brushed over his cheek and once she knew he was solid, she pressed her palm against his skin. He was warm beneath her touch. Warm enough to feel alive. “Is it really you..?”

“Yes,” he answered, his voice soft and filled with more emotion than she’d ever heard it before. He placed his hand over her own, making her skin burn under his touch, but she couldn’t pull away.

For a moment, all she could do was look at him. She looked at his eyes, took in his face and his features, and tried to blink the stinging away. 

Perhaps the whole ballroom was watching, but Zelda dropped her hand and instead wrapped her arms wordlessly around his shoulders. She buried her face in his neck and squeezed her eyes shut as the first of the sobs escaped her. His arms circled around her waist and held her close, but it did nothing to stop the trembling. He was not the child she hugged all those years ago, but he still felt so familiar.

“Can.. can we go-“ She couldn’t finish her question.

She was aware of the scene she was making, and she didn’t want to embarrass her father any further, so she bit back another sob and kept her head down as Link led her out of the ballroom and onto a nearby balcony. The fresh air was icy on her skin and wet cheeks, but he took her face so gently into his hands that she felt like she would melt.

“I missed you,” he spoke. It was no louder than a whisper, but it reached volumes that deafened her to everything else. All she could do was hug him tight and cry harder.

“Goddesses, Link, I— where did you go?” she asked when she caught her breath again.

“Termina,” he replied. “I didn’t mean to be gone for so long, but they needed help.”

She’d never heard of it before, but she didn’t care because he was here. 

“I thought.. I didn’t know if you were even alive.” But her love for adventure hadn’t changed and she sat him on a bench as she demanded, “Tell me everything.”

And so he did. He told her of the troublesome Skullkid and the malevolent mask. He told her of the overhanging moon that threatened to fall, and of the trials he had to overcome. He told her of the masks he collected and of the god he had to fight. And Zelda’s heart ached for her hero who could not catch a break. Trauma followed him everywhere he went, and he hadn’t even found Navi. 

“Link.. I’m so sorry,” she said, gripping his hands tighter. “You’ve gone through so much..”

“It’s over,” he assured her. “Or at least, I hope.”

“I couldn’t imagine. I’m so happy you’re safe. Oh, you’ve grown so much..”

“And you look every bit the princess you were always meant to be.”

Zelda laughed, bubbly and weak, and buried her face in her hands.

“ _Goddesses_ , I missed you,” she murmured and wiped at her eyes. How he could still call her beautiful when she looked a mess, she didn’t know. 

“I made a pinky promise. Besides, I recall you telling me you’d be _very_ mad at me if I didn’t come back and I don’t think I could live with that.” 

She lifted her head and sniffled.

“Well, you certainly took your time,” she joked and brushed some hair from his eyes.

“I hope this can make up for it.” Link pulled a box from his pocket and carefully pried it open. A sparkling blue jewel in the shape of a teardrop hung from a silver chain. It was almost glowing against the black velvet cushion.

“It’s lovely,” she breathed, running her fingers gently over the stone.

“It’s a Moon’s Tear,” he explained as he lifted it from the box. 

“From the falling moon?” she asked. Link gestured for her to turn around, so she shifted on the bench and set her back to him. 

“Clever girl,” he replied. She could practically hear the smile on his face.

The jewel was cold against her skin, but Link’s fingertips brushing the back of her neck as he clamped the necklace is what made her shiver. 

“You’re quite ridiculous, I hope you know that,” she said as she turned to face him again.

“It’s no ring,” he answered and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. “But I hope it’ll do.”

Zelda blinked in confusion, fiddling with the Moon’s Tear as she watched him gather his thoughts.

“A ring?” she asked quietly.

“I.. promised to marry you when I got back. You’re perfectly allowed to decline, of course. I wouldn’t— I mean-.. is this weird?”

Her cheeks burned as she burst into a fit of giggles, pressing a hand over her mouth to muffle them. Link looked at her, flushed with embarrassment, and soon he was laughing too. The innocent promise of two children had lasted over years of distance, even if it was more of humor than anything else now that they were older. She leaned into him, holding her stomach as her muscles grew tighter. Goddesses, she missed his laugh so much. Six long years were not enough to change him at all. 

When their laughter quieted, Zelda lifted her head and took his face into her hands. He smiled at her, sending her head spinning.

“I wasn’t sure you’d ever return,” she whispered as she ran her thumbs along his cheekbones, relishing in his warmth and presence. The thought crossed her mind that perhaps she was being too forward—she just got him back and would rather not lose him again. So she reluctantly pulled her hands back to herself and fiddled with the necklace again.

“There were times I didn’t think I would,” he admitted. With the stories he recounted, she believed him. And she was beginning to understand the Princess’s decision to send him back in time in the first place. But it didn’t seem like he was fated to have an easy existence. 

“I’m sorry your search was in vain.” And even that wasn’t enough, but what could she offer him? What words could she say to him that could quell the sadness running deep in his veins, betrayed by his eyes despite how happy he looked to be back. For all the wisdom she held in her blood, she knew no answer. 

“I wouldn’t say that,” said Link softly, turning his gaze on her. The more she looked at him, the harder it was to maintain the poise she’d so very recently returned her hold on. So she looked away with a small smile and tilted her head to gaze up at the stars. 

“What would you say?” she asked, tracing the constellations painting the sky with her eyes. A thousand stories came with those stars, stories about their past and their future, stories about fate and things beyond their understanding. She always felt that the stars knew and could see everything, and hiding was a naïve comfort they were never really granted. Even when they were children, throwing themselves under a blanket and giggling, the stars could see everything--even the secrets they didn’t truly have. They had known all along what would become of her and of the Hero of Time. She didn’t know if she pitied the stars or envied them.

“I would say anything that leads me back to you is more than worth it.”

Zelda turned her eyes to him, where she found nothing but sincerity and a tired smile. She could remember a childish curiosity whenever he looked at her, but she couldn’t quite name the gaze his eyes held now. Heat blossomed over her cheeks again and with a laugh, she ducked her head.

“Welcome home, Hero,” she said as she shook her head. “I hope you’re able to find the life of peace you deserve.”

“To be honest, Princess, I think a life of peace would drive me to the brink of sanity. I didn’t return with the hopes of finding it. I don’t… I don’t think I’d even want it.”

There was no hiding the mix of confusion and surprise and concern that took over her features upon hearing his words. A life of peace did not interest him? She wondered for a moment whether he was already past the threshold of sanity, or if he’d simply left his mind in Termina.

“Then,” she began, treading lightly over what could possibly be dangerous waters, “what is it that you want?”

“I want a life by your side.” His cheeks were as pink as hers under the moonlight, but it could very well have been just an effect of the bitter cold. “I know we’re not kids anymore and.. and a lot has changed. But if I could be even just in your service, I would be satisfied.”

“You owe nothing more to Hyrule,” Zelda spoke quickly, taking back all sense of personal space as she held his cheek again. “You’ve done more for us than we could ever begin to thank you for. You reap scars and trauma we can’t even begin to imagine. We are happy to have you back, of course, but you needn’t swear your life to any more trouble, Link.”

“Serving you would be of no trouble at all, Princess.” His hands wrapped gently around hers, pulling it from his skin, and he brought her knuckles to his lips instead. His warm breath fanned over her skin and for the first time of the evening, she did not regret the gloveless design of her outfit.

She could hear her own words, hypocritical and laughable, pouring from her lips when she told little Prince Henry to follow his heart and to hell with those who disagreed. It was much harder to take her own advice--like it was a bitter medicine that brought her heart into her throat and made her tremble. But all she could see was the little forest boy giving her one last wave, so much alike with the man who sat before her now. Her heart lurched.

“I love you,” she said, hardly louder than the gentle breeze that circled them. “And I know that I’m not your Zelda--the Zelda you first defended Hyrule for-”

“You are _every bit_ the same Zelda. The only difference is this time, we don’t have to say goodbye. Not if you don’t want to.”

“I don’t,” she begged, gripping his hands tighter.

“Then let me stay with you.” 

He freed a hand and cradled her face. She leaned into his touch, into the warmth that batted away the cold, into the feeling that he really was here. And then he was leaning forwards, his breath fanning over her lips, and she closed the space between them with an eagerness that Impa would refer to as “unladylike”. His lips were soft and their kiss was slow and gentle, fanning a spark so that it blazed into a flame. In the years she had spent imagining how this reunion might go, she never quite got the magic of it right. It felt strong and peaceful, like something old and practiced but new and exciting all at once. And when they parted, Zelda was quick to recall that silly little promise.

“You meant to ask for knighthood,” she stated, a giddy feeling flooding her at the idea. “But how would you feel about prince consort?”

It was Link’s turn to laugh, and she laughed too as she closed a hand around the Moon’s Tear necklace glowing against her skin. Of course, they had a while to catch up on before any official announcement could be made. They were not granted the opportunity to grow into their relationship, and now was a better time than any to get started. 

Her Hero had returned, and Zelda quite liked the idea of never having to face any of the men who tried to win her hand ever again. Apparently, it was made evident enough by their return to the ballroom floor. 

Link had asked for a dance, after all. Who was she to deny him after so long?


	8. New Love | Santa Tell Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda finds a friend in the little forest boy who claims to be the Hero of Time. Ocarina of Time, post-game, child timeline (????).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the prequel to the prompt right before this one, Coming Home After Being Away

The Princess of Hyrule was bubbly and bright, and she felt like she could take on the world. She wanted so badly to go on a grand adventure, to escape the walls and locks of the castle and explore the kingdom she was set to rule over one day. How did she know what was best for her people if she never met them? But her father wouldn’t hear a word of it and Impa wouldn’t let her try. Little Zelda was forced to instead play by herself in the courtyard. She liked to pick up sticks and pretend to fight, and she liked throwing crushed up leaves and berries into a water filled hole to make potions. She liked to fall in the dirt and scrape her knees. 

She did not like practicing the ocarina.

“But you promised!” she whined, tugging at the arm of her caretaker. “You said you’d teach me how to be Sheikah!”

“I promised to teach you Sheikah _ways_ ,” Impa corrected as she stuck the little blue instrument into her hands. “But not today, little princess. You haven’t practiced in weeks, and you promised your father you would.”

Zelda huffed and gripped the tear-drop shaped piece of wood tighter. 

“But it’s so boring!”

“You’ll have to do many boring things in your life as queen,” Impa replied, ruffling the cap that covered her hair. Zelda scrunched up her nose and, defeated, brought the ocarina to her lips. It was drilled into her where her fingers should go as she played a set of scales to warm up. 

The three note melody her family named after her (or, rather, after _Zelda_ in general) came naturally, and she played it twice before stealing a glance at Impa. She didn’t look satisfied, so Zelda huffed and turned around to face the window instead. There was her father, sitting on his throne while speaking with a man—a man she’d seen a few times before. He was tall, and his eyes seemed to glow with an evil that made her nervous. But her father wouldn’t listen to her when she tried to tell him that he scared her.

“How did you-“

A ruckus followed Impa’s unfinished question, so Zelda turned with furrowed eyebrows. Stood before her was a boy no older than her, dressed in green with a sword by his side. She stumbled a little backwards. He resembled the forest boy from her dreams a little too perfectly to be real. And yet something about him felt so familiar.

“Who..?” she started to ask, but the boy dropped to a kneel in front of her.

“Princess,” he greeted, his voice shaky and quiet. “I’m Link. I.. I’m the Hero of Time, I think.”

Zelda blinked. She’d never heard of such a thing, but he sounded too serious to be joking. But despite everything she’d felt within the past few weeks, she was unconvinced. 

“How can you be something without knowing it?” she asked, placing her hands on her waist. 

“You’ve _gotta_ believe me!” the forest boy pleaded. “Ganondorf’s gonna get the Triforce and take over and destroy the world!”

So, the Hero of Time was here, as nothing more than a child, making the claim that her dreams would come to pass. As ridiculous as it probably sounded to Impa, it shook Zelda to her core. But her father didn’t believe her, much less a little kokiri boy. She was running out of ideas.

“Prove it,” she challenged, holding the ocarina out to him. “This is the Ocarina of Time, an heirloom of the royal family for generations. Play something only the Hero of Time would know!”

Link took the instrument from her hands and raised it to his lips. Zelda pulled at the sleeves of her dress in anticipation, shifting on her feet. What was she expecting him to play? Would he be able to play? If he could, how would it prove anything? 

Her lullaby was being played back to her.

“How..? You--you _heard_ me playing it!” she accused, taking a step back. It was the only explanation, it _had_ to be.

“You taught it to me! Right here! Don’t you remember?”

He looked so crestfallen and scared. He was as small as she, yet he spoke as if he’d seen war. If he really was who he said he was, then… he had. And he was there to warn them.

“Tell me everything,” Zelda demanded, holding her head a little higher. 

“Princess--”

Zelda looked over to Impa and whispered a soft “please”, then shifted her gaze back to the little kokiri boy. 

Link was hesitant, but he retold everything he could remember. He told her that she sent him to retrieve the spiritual stones, and he pulled the Master Sword, and that Ganondorf had followed him into the Temple and touched the Triforce, sealing him inside of the Sacred Realm. He told her how he woke seven years later to Hyrule in disrepair, with Ganondorf as the new king. He told of the temples and the destruction, and how he was forced to travel back and forth in time to undo all the King of Thieves had done. By the end of his story, Zelda was on the verge of tears. It was _her_ plan that caused such a downfall--the very same plan she’d wanted to share with him as soon as he appeared before her.

“We have to tell my father,” she said, spinning to face Impa. “Please.”

Impa too was hesitant, but Zelda wiped at her tears and grabbed Link’s hand, pulling him towards the entrance to the castle herself.

“Princess-” Impa called again, but the little princess was determined. Ganondorf was leaving just as they entered, and she felt Link’s hand tighten around her own. But she couldn’t stop now. She had to make her father listen if there was any hope at all.

Just as she’d expected, her father was dismissive. He wanted to write it off as a childish nightmare, but Zelda forced Link to recount everything he’d just told her. The king remained unconvinced, but he looked a little bothered and she could work with that.

“Zelda, it is very immature to get this little boy in on your fantasies,” he scolded. “I cannot arrest the Gerudo king on the account of two children, not when we’re so close to mending the split caused by war.”

“But you _heard_ his story! The Hero of Time said he fought Ganondorf himself!” Zelda argued, stomping her foot.

“Your little friend snuck onto the castle grounds unpermitted, so I would hardly deem him trustworthy. Unless he can prove that he is who he says he is, I will not take action.”

Link lifted the ocarina to his lips again and Zelda waited anxiously for the three note lullaby to hit her ears--but it never came. 

“I’ll pull the sword again,” Link declared, standing up as straight as he could. “I’ll travel to Gerudo Valley and find Nabooru--she’s a Sage and she could tell you everything Ganondorf has planned!”

“I will not send a child to that desert-”

“Then _take me_ to the Temple of Time,” the hero challenged. 

The king looked hesitant once more. He scratched his beard as he looked between Link and his daughter, and Zelda tried to look as serious as she could manage.

“Link’s story is exactly what I saw in my dreams. You know daughters of the goddess can have pro.. prost-”

“Prophetic,” Impa supplied. Zelda nodded once.

“- _prophetic_ dreams because you said mother had them too!”

“I cannot take you into the Temple of Time,” the king said, slumping back into the throne. “If you really are the Hero of Time, then there’s no telling what pulling the sword will do. But I will look into this. If I find nothing, then the two of you will be in very big trouble.”

Link didn’t look happy, but Zelda would take it. She was admittedly too scared to keep thinking about it, and any action her father took would be better than none.

“Promise?” she asked her father, stepping up to his throne and sticking out her pinky.

“I promise,” he replied, wrapping his larger finger around hers. He wiped at her cheeks after that, and Zelda leaned into the comfort of her father. She didn’t want to lose him too. 

Link was allowed full permission into the castle after all that had transpired. Zelda met up with him any chance she could get, and they would run around the courtyard together with sticks and matching bruises. His stories sounded far less scary when he acted them out before her, and Zelda often stole Impa’s headband and pretended to be a Sheikah named Sheik--just like the other Princess Zelda he spoke so highly about. 

Their courtyard playdate was interrupted when a figure passed by the window. The Gerudo king had arrived in chains, and Zelda grabbed Link’s arm and pulled him out of view.

“What’s going on?” he asked, but Zelda pressed a finger to her lips and snuck towards the entrance so they could hear what was happening. There was a lot of yelling, but she heard her father condemning him for plans of overthrowing the monarchy.

“--guilty of treason of the highest measure. For the crimes you have committed, you will be taken to Arbiter’s Grounds and executed.”

Zelda nearly tripped over Link as she stumbled backwards. The Gerudo king was being led their way. His eyes, burning with hatred, settled on her and Link, and he ripped himself free from the guards’ hold. Ganondorf reached for her with hands twice her size and she bit her tongue to keep from screaming. She tried to think of what Sheik would do, but she hardly got a chance before Link was in front of her, his kokiri sword pointed at the King of Thieves’ hands. Ganondorf laughed, a deep, evil sound that shook her to her core, and the guards took hold of him again, and he was dragged away, still laughing. 

Link turned around and wrapped her in a hug, and Zelda, still shaking, grabbed his shirt and closed her eyes. The yellow eyes of the Gerudo king would follow her into her nightmares, she was sure of it. 

In the following week, her father held a ceremony to acknowledge and thank all of those who saved Hyrule. 

Link and Nabooru, who’d acted as an inside source, were gifted with titles of honor and medals of service. Zelda too was awarded for her wisdom and insistence, but she didn’t think she deserved it as much as the other two. It was her fault Link had gone through all he had to begin with, and she didn’t think she could ever shake that feeling of guilt. But the party afterwards helped to lift her spirits, because her father told her she could have as many sweets as she wanted, and she could stay up as late as she wanted. 

“We did it!” Zelda cheered, once she’d found Link in the crowd. People were gawking at him and asking questions, but she threw her arms around him anyway and they landed in a pile on the floor, giggling like crazy. She could hear Impa in her head, scolding her about how improper and unladylike she was acting, but the princess didn’t care. A war had been avoided, and she made a good friend in the process. 

A friend who took her on adventures around Lake Hylia now that there was no threat, and protected her from any monster that tried to show its face. He took her to Lon Lon Ranch, where she met Malon and Epona and rode a horse of her own. He took her to Zora’s domain, where she met the little Zora princess who looked _too_ interested in Link for her liking, and he took her to Goron City (under the supervision of Impa) to meet Darunia. 

But their time together was short lived, because their courtyard playdate took an awkward turn when Link held out a handful of colorful flowers and told her he had to go. He looked so sad, and she wished she could squeeze him tight until his sadness was gone.

“I lost a friend,” he explained, avoiding her gaze. “Every kokiri has a fairy, and I lost Navi when.. when I was sent back. I need to find her.”

She wanted to ask if he had to go. She wanted to beg him to stay here and find another fairy. But even as a selfish child, she could tell how much had been taken from him and she didn’t want him to hurt more than he already had. She would be a bad friend if she didn’t let him go.

“Will you come back?” she asked as she held the flowers tighter. 

“I’d never leave you behind,” he answered, giving her a shy little smile that made her cheeks burn.

“Do you promise?” she questioned, sticking out her pinky. 

“I promise,” he replied, wrapping his finger around hers. Zelda hesitated for a moment, but she leaned forwards and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.

“You better not break your promise, or I’m gonna be really mad at you,” she said as she pushed him away and looked at the ground.

“Just watch! When I come back, I’ll be your knight and we’ll get married,” he replied, wrapping her in a hug. Zelda giggled and held him tightly, because she wouldn’t be seeing him again for a very long time.

“You’re _gross_!” she declared, but the little princess liked the idea, even if she didn’t know the full story of what a marriage involved. They were too young for that anyway, but Impa told her later that love had no age and that souls that were meant to be together would find each other again in time. 

She didn’t know the word for what she was feeling when he left the courtyard for the last time. He looked back at her with a wave, but she couldn’t find it in her to raise her arms. They felt heavy and tired. She spent the first few months in naive hope, waiting in the courtyard and playing the ocarina as if her songs could bring him back. She held onto Impa’s words and onto the matching medals they had, and she came to question herself if she did indeed love the little boy from the forest. 

Perhaps when she saw him again, she would tell him properly.


	9. Disguise | I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link takes a small but much needed break, and Sheik takes Hylia’s Day as an opportunity to deliver a gift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ocarina of Time, in game

The title of Hero of Time was a heavy one, but he was doing the best he could as fast as he could, because thousands of lives were depending on him—and most didn’t even know it. He didn’t take any of this lightly and swore over and over again that he would do whatever it took to pull Hyrule from the clutches of darkness. **  
**

But he was still only Hylian, whether he bore the Triforce of Courage or not. Sometimes, it was a little much. Sometimes, he wanted to return to his seven year slumber just so he didn’t have to think about the things he’d seen. Yet even as a child, he never turned away.

He still didn’t plan to. 

He just needed a little break, a little air, after his admittedly narrow victory in the Shadow Temple. He was told that the inhabitant of the well that burned through Kakariko and took up residence in the temple was a great evil, but Link didn’t know if he believed that. A place such as that had such a violent history, and whether Bongo Bongo was a manifestation of that darkness or not, he hadn’t felt right slaying it. He’d only done it because he had to. 

But he knew whatever answers he might’ve wanted, he would never hope to find. 

He’d taken up residence in one of the windmill’s large windows, where he could see the well but not the graveyard, and where he could watch the quiet town from above. For being the Hero of Time, he wasn’t aware of how long it’d been. A chill in the air told him it was winter, but he had no further indication. 

Link wouldn’t try to figure it out.

The Spirit Temple is all that remains, he thought as he twisted the Lens of Truth in his hand. Only one temple stood between him and Ganondorf’s grotesque castle. All of this could be over in a few days time, but he couldn’t bring himself to move on. Not yet.

Before, he’d never questioned a thing. Now, he was beginning to wonder what landed Hyrule in this situation to begin with. Most people weren’t evil without reason to be. 

A presence loomed from behind, and Link didn’t have to look to know who it was. There was only one person he knew who could appear and disappear at will.

“Do you remember much about the Celebration of the White Goddess?” Sheik asked. Link shrugged.

“Most just call it Hylia’s Day,” he replied. “Why?”

“Today marks the beginning of the celebration.”

“Not many are in the spirit, then,” Link said with a gesture to the motionless village below them.

“Seven years is a long time. Some no longer believe. Others think it safer to pray in the safety of their homes and speak her name as little as possible. They fear Ganon will overhear.”

“Let him overhear,” Link muttered bitterly. “Then he can face me himself.”

“Your courage, although admirable, is also foolish.”

He opted to shrug again in reply. Any lecture from Sheik was far better than the alternative—loneliness. It made him consider asking the Sheikah about the bloody temple tucked into the graveyard, or the amalgamation at the bottom of the well, or the hollow remains in the tomb of the royal family. 

Thinking of Princess Zelda being lowered into that vat of terror one day made him shudder, so he said nothing instead.

“Do you know the story behind Hylia’s Day?” Sheik asked as they lowered themselves to sit next to him.

“I suppose I should,” replied Link, considering those goddesses they all once believed in were playing puppet with his fate.

“It marks the day that Hylia descended to our world with the purpose of protecting the Triforce—so it’s said. But even a goddess couldn’t keep the power at bay. The Demon King Demise brought forth an army to try and pry it from her hands. Hylia was forced to send her people up to a civilization in the sky, then was tasked with fighting Demise with the aid of the very first of the heroes. Yet instead of her victory, we celebrate the very idea of her.”

“It’s easier to celebrate the idea of something,” Link said, turning his head to look at Sheik. “It feels further away, less real, when it’s just an idea.”

“Except there are those of us who know better.”

“I can’t say I’m in the mood to celebrate,” he admitted simply as he turned to face Sheik entirely, with his back leaning against the wall. 

“And for that I can’t blame you.”

Link studied the Sheikah for a moment, but there was nothing more he could see than what met the eye. He knew so little about this person, yet they’d traversed through all of Hyrule under the guise of helping the Hero of Time only to disappear as soon as they served their purpose. 

“Why now?” he asked, tilting his head. “You’ve never just… appeared to have a conversation.”

There was a twinkle in Sheik’s eye that suggested they were smiling, but he couldn’t see anything beneath the wrap, so he didn’t try. 

“I didn’t think the Hero of Time would oppose having a friend, but should he wish to be a lone wolf, I can go.”

Link almost cracked a smile. Something about the comfortable atmosphere, how familiar they were acting, unnerved him. But he trusted Sheik with his life, because they’d been the one consistent thing. He could trust them to be at every dungeon, ready to encourage him and teach him something new. 

“And I didn’t think the Sheikah did _friends_ ,” he replied simply. 

“I have a delivery,” Sheik clarified as they pulled a box out of thin air. After seeing the Sheikah do the same with themselves so many times, Link had stopped questioning it. “It’s from Princess Zelda.” 

Those words alone made him straighten, and so many emotions hit him at once that he wasn’t quite sure how to react. There were so many questions, too, but he could only ask one at a time.

“She’s alive?” His voice was quiet enough to be carried away on the winds, full of disbelief and perhaps even hope. “Is she safe?”

“She’s alive,” Sheik replied with a nod. They studied him for a moment, then spoke again: “And she’s as safe as she could possibly be. She’s in good hands.”

“Where is she? Can I see her?”

“ _No_.” Their reply was a little too quick, and it made Link recoil. Their expression softened and they held the box towards him with a nod of encouragement. As he took it, they continued. “Not yet. If she came out of hiding too early and Ganondorf found her… but I promise you, she is closer than you think.”

For a moment, Link was torn between answering with a bitter, sarcastic laugh, and saying that the princess lied in his heart. Instead of speaking however, he settled on pulling the top of the box open. The crystal inside was not a new sight, glistening in the setting sun with a thousand colors, but for a moment, some stupid part of him believed there was a deeper meaning to this. Or maybe he just hoped that the heart container, which was really nothing more than a crystal full of protective magic, meant something instead of the very simple truth that it was another tool to help him in his quest to free Hyrule. 

But it gave him a sense of hope, a sense of happiness to know that Princess Zelda was safe. Regardless of what the heart container was supposed to be, it would forever serve as a piece of her–a reminder that there was reason to keep fighting. Maybe it was selfish to consider it a reason, instead of doing it to save all of Hyrule. But no hero was incapable of being selfish, and after such an adventure, if it could even be called one, all he wanted was to find comfort in the one person that could give it to him.

Link turned his head to thank the Sheikah, but they were gone. The only evidence of the conversation was the container in his hand. He was grateful, because far above the eyes of Kakariko village, during the hours of dusk, there was no one to see him bring the crystal to his lips.


	10. Missed Connections | Christmas Wrappings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda attends Kakariko Village’s Hylia’s Day Celebration with her roommates, and Link shows up to join in on the fun. Sequel to prompt #4, Broken Heart. BotW Modern AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: second hand embarrassment probably, statements such as “contemplated jumping into the nearest pond”

A semester had passed by in the blink of an eye.

Well, that wasn’t very accurate. There were periods of time where the semester felt like it was just crawling, and there were times she became so overwhelmed with her work that she considered dropping out. But she loved her work with Sheikah technology, and she was at the top of nearly every class, and she loved the group of friends she’d made at Akkala Technical University, so she pushed through to the end. 

Three of those close friends were Sheikah, which was incredibly helpful whenever she got stuck on a research paper or a lab. Two of those Sheikah friends were also her roommates, which meant she had help at all times. It also meant that she would be begging them all to come visit over the winter break.

That went both ways, of course. So when Impa and Purah demanded that Zelda come spend a week with them in Kakariko for the Hylia’s Day celebration, she couldn’t say no.

The village was quaint and Zelda fell in love with it immediately. Winter break or not, she could learn so much from just being around so many Sheikah. She was excited, to say the least. 

Her phone vibrating in her pocket broke her moment of peace. She fished it out of her pocket and frowned. That slap of guilt had never left, which she was kindly reminded of every time she saw his name pop up on the screen.

[Hey, are you coming back to Castle Town for the break?]

Zelda took a breath and debated throwing her phone into the nearest pond. It was complicated. She tried ghosting him in the first few weeks of the semester, but that hurt more than talking to him did. So she chickened out of it with some lame excuse and decided to stay frustrated with herself for her stupid choices for the rest of time. 

[I’m in Kakariko with some roommates for Hylia’s Day, but I’ll be back home in a week] she replied. His response was almost immediate.

[I’m in Hateno! You should come visit :)]

Goddesses, he was still annoyingly adorable. It was a good thing she was way past crying, or she’d be sniffling. 

[Why don’t you make your way up here, lazy bones?]

[Is that an official invite? :D]

Zelda bit her lip and glanced around her, as if someone would be watching her mistakes over her shoulder. She still hadn’t entered the village yet. It wasn’t too late to book it to Castle Town and then revoke the playful invite. 

[If you can make it here, then yes :)]

“Who’s got your nose glued to that phone?”

She jumped, sending her phone flying out of her hands and into a nearby bush. Of course, Purah doubled over in laughter as she went to fetch it.

“Purah!” Zelda exclaimed, just barely keeping herself from stomping like a child.

“Sorry,” Purah replied once she’d gained her breath back. But she wasn’t sorry at all. “Ugh, Link is _still_ bothering you?”

“He’s _not_ a bother,” Zelda defended, crossing her arms over her chest. 

“Really? Because you told me you were over him.”

“That.. well, uh, might’ve been a teensy lie.”

Purah stared at her with what could only be described as a I-Shouldn’t-Be-Surprised-Because-You’re-That-Obvious-But-I’m-Disappointed-Anyway look and Zelda looked at anything but her roommate. 

“You invited him over?!”

“ _I panicked!_ ”

“How on Hylia’s green Hyrule you are the highest placing student at Akkala Tech is _beyond_ me. Do you need a 101 in how to avoid ex boyfriends?”

“I don’t want to _avoid_ him,” Zelda argued, but this conversation was going to take a turn if she didn’t stop it. “Where’s Impa?”

“She’s getting stuff ready at the house, but don’t think this is over because I’ll drag her into it too,” Purah warned as she linked an arm through hers and tugged her into the village.

“I’ll just tell him nevermind! It’s a girls week, right?”

Purah huffed and gave her another tug.

“Cherry’s coming at the end of the week and wherever Cherry goes, Robbie goes. So, _no_ , not girls week.”

Zelda almost laughed. Seeing Robbie again was going to be interesting, but she was excited for it. A week away from home with some of her favorite people in all of Hyrule, what was not to love? 

Purah took her to the largest house in the little village, and her excitement rose. 

“You’re here!” exclaimed Impa when the door swung open. Zelda ripped her arm free from Purah’s hold so that she could hug her best friend.

“I love your house!” Zelda replied, looking around with wide eyes. “I’d stay here forever if I could.”

“We’re just getting started.”

It took less than ten minutes for Zelda to get settled in with the girls, and even less time for her to end up being scolded by both Sheikah sisters.

“Look at his photo,” Purah said, handing the phone off to Impa. 

“And you let him go?” Impa asked incredulously as she looked up with wide eyes. Zelda felt like she was being interrogated.

“It’s complicated,” she defended, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Well, let me uncomplicate it.” Purah plucked the phone from Impa’s hands and Zelda nearly tackled her when she started typing.

“What are you doing?!” 

“Helping you.”

When Zelda managed to wrestle her phone back to herself, Purah had already done the damage.

[Check it, it’s Z’s roommate. Come down any time ;) She’s gotta talk to you]

“ _Why_?!” Zelda exclaimed, throwing the phone onto the nearest pillow so she didn’t have to see his response. 

“Because you’re helpless!”

She looked to Impa for help, but Impa only shrugged.

“It’s for your own good, Z.”

Needless to say, day one of her trip to Kakariko didn’t go as planned. 

The rest of the week went rather swimmingly compared to that. Zelda was coaxed into playing countless games with the village children, which was absolutely fascinating. They were so lively and intelligent. She remembered when she was like that, young and full of life before college sucked it right out of her. 

Impa took her all over Kakariko, and then out to Goponga Village up in Lanayru Wetlands, and to Deya Village for a tour of places she’d never seen. The people were incredibly kind to her, and she was having more fun than she had when they were confined to the campus of their university. 

It almost took her mind off of things entirely. 

And Hylia’s Day came quickly. She spent it hanging up lights with Impa and Purah, watching a few other Sheikah return from the woods with game for the feast. Music was pouring from one corner, and Zelda scampered her way out of a dance with a poet by hiding behind Robbie—who’d arrived with Cherry for the celebration.

It was so different from how they celebrated in Castle Town, which was more of a carnival that lasted over a span of days. This was quieter, more personal, which made sense given the Sheikah were people of Hylia. It felt so much more intimate and real, and Zelda loved it. She wasn’t a diehard believer, but she respected it. During the opening prayer, facing the statue of the goddess, she even felt a sort of soft connection. 

And then the festivities really kicked up. Zelda was almost ready to lose herself in the fun with her roommates, but in the process of searching for Purah with Impa, she ran into a very familiar face. Quite literally. 

She scrambled backwards, grabbing onto Impa’s arm so she didn’t lose her footing.

“Hey,” Link said, giving her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Hey,” she stuttered in return. 

“Hey,” Impa input with an awkward wave. Zelda laughed just as awkwardly in an attempt to snap herself out of it.

“Um, Link, this is my roommate Impa. Impa, this is Link.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Impa said. Zelda resisted the urge to crawl under a rock and stay there forever. 

“All good things, I hope,” Link replied with a laugh, glancing over at her. Zelda laughed again, just as awkward as the first. 

“Totally. You’re welcome to join us for the festivities. There’s enough food to go around.” With that, Impa turned and continued her search for her sister. The crowd wasn’t that big, but Purah could be quite the escape artist when she wanted to be.

Zelda followed, falling into step with Link. She tried not to look at him too much. College hadn’t changed him at all, so he was just as, well.. _Link_ as he was before. But she didn’t want the awkward and tense air to suffocate her, so she fiddled with her fingers and spoke again.

“So, um, is Hateno celebrating too?” 

“Not like this. It’s more of an individual family thing,” he replied.

“It’s fascinating how everyone celebrates differently. What.. what made you decide to come up to Kakariko?”

“Well, you and your roommate invited me over and it’d just be rude to refuse.”

She made the mistake of looking over at him, and he smiled at her again. Zelda fought back her own smile and stuck her hands into her pockets.

“How’s.. life?” she asked, and tried not to visibly cringe.

“It’s okay,” Link answered with a shrug. “I see we both survived the first semester.”

“Barely,” Zelda corrected, glancing at Impa ahead of them. “If it weren’t for my roommates, I don’t think I-“

“Hold that thought, Z. Robbie incoming,” Impa warned. She hardly had time to brace herself before the eccentric genius was in front of them, and he’d dragged Purah and Cherry with him.

“Ah, there’s the rest of my entourage. What’s up, pretty ladies?” he greeted, wrestling to keep Purah under his arm.

“I thought you were supposed to be keeping him reigned in,” Impa said, setting her hands on her hips as she looked at Cherry.

“There’s no reigning in a party animal,” Robbie defended as Purah broke free of his grasp.

“ _Right_ ,” Purah replied with an eyeroll. “Because a party animal passes out in our dorm at midnight after living off of energy drinks for forty-two hours.”

Robbie gave her a finger gun and clicked his tongue, and Zelda considered using this as an escape. But if she did escape, she wouldn’t have her friends to cover for her if Link decided to try _talking_.

“Um, these are my friends,” she told him, gesturing to the mess. “Purah, Cherry, and Robbie.”

“So this is the ex boyfriend, huh?” Purah asked as she lit up and circled him like a predator.

“That would be me, yes,” Link replied sheepishly.

“Again, I don’t know how you’re the top of your class, Z. 

“Can we _not_ insult my bad decisions?” Zelda asked with her hands on her hips.

“Not a chance,” Purah answered. “You’re just lucky the feast is about to start.”

“Thank Hylia,” Zelda muttered and followed after the chattering group.

“They seem nice,” Link said, nodding ahead of them.

“And genius,” she added. “Sometimes, next to them I feel extremely ordinary.”

“There’s nothing ordinary about you, Zel,” he replied. Zelda averted her gaze and laughed.

“Of course you would say that.”

“The truth?”

She shook her head with another smile, sticking her hands back into her pockets. In the middle of the village, a row of tables had been pushed together to form a banquet table that spanned the length of the place. Zelda took her seat besides Impa, and Link besides her, and then the feast really began.

“Have you learned any new recipes?” she asked curiously as they ate.

“Yeah, actually. I’ve started putting together a cookbook so I can always reference them.”

“Very smart. I don’t suppose you live off of microwaved noodles then.”

Link smiled and replied, “Sometimes.” 

She could admit to herself, and preferably _only_ herself, that she’d missed this. Talking to him, hanging out with him, it was part of her routine schedule and she didn’t realize that until she wasn’t texting him and calling him and meeting up for whatever silly activities they'd planned for the day.

And so far, despite how awkward she felt, it wasn’t going horribly. It could’ve been a lot worse. Like, _goddesses_ , what would she have done if he’d appeared with another girl? Okay, no, she knew better than that. He wouldn’t do that to her. But _did_ he have—

_Why did she care oh goddesses Zelda get it together if you’re gonna spend Hylia’s Day thinking about a boy instead of having fun with your friends why did you bother coming Impa and Purah are going to tear you apart for this they will never let you live it down-_

Zelda attempted to crumple those thoughts the way she’d crumpled failed outlines of research papers and tossed them into the nearest pit of fire in her brain. 

The feast gave way to dancing. Tables were moved off to the sides, opening an area up for children and couples alike to do whatever they pleased. Purah and Robbie were some of the first to participate, and Zelda snorted when Impa looked away like she wasn’t aware of, or for that matter _related to_ , one of them.

“You should join them,” Link teased, nudging her with his elbow. It was the first contact they’d made all evening. She hated that it sent her heart racing.

“Absolutely not,” she replied and crossed her arms over her chest. “Besides, I don’t dance.”

He hummed sarcastically in response, making it clear that he knew better. He’d caught her dancing in her room when she thought she was alone, he’d roped her into dancing in the kitchen at two in the morning, and he’d dragged her to prom (which she would insist until the day she died that she was _not interested in_ ).

“Maybe you should start,” Link ended up saying. “Because it looks like someone’s about to ask you.”

Zelda’s heart stopped in her chest. Was he..? But then she followed his gaze and was disappointed ( _disappointed??_ ) to find the same poet boy from earlier eyeing her like he was indeed thinking about it. 

She could admit it wasn’t one of her best plans of escape, but she turned to Link and bit her lip.

“Save me?” she asked, extending a hand. He eyed it for a second, leaning back against a railing with a shrug.

“I dunno. Seems like a fitting punishment for someone who lied about dancing,” he replied, mischief twinkling in his sky blue eyes.

Oh, she was not about to _beg_ for his help. Two could play that game, and she wouldn’t be the first to cave in. 

“Fine, then maybe I will dance with him. He looks nice,” she answered, dropping her hand. She didn’t know what she was hoping for, exactly. To stir up some jealousy?

But Link only shrugged again.

“Suit yourself.”

So when the young poet approached her with a nervous smile and an extended hand, she _did_ accept, offering what she hoped was a charming smile.

She made as much conversation as possible, and she liked to think it was going well.

Until Link swept past her with Purah, shooting her a grin. She glared playfully back, and her roommate winked.

“Trade off!” she shouted, and before Zelda could realize what was happening, much less protest to it, Purah had whisked the poor poet boy away, and she was back in Link’s arms.

“So you decided to save me after all?” she asked, hoping to combat the blush on her cheeks and the butterflies in her stomach.

“Did you not want me to?” he asked as he raised an eyebrow. “I can always go back to Purah.”

“Oh, Purah can do better,” she replied with a roll of her eyes.

“C’mon, Zel, I wasn’t _that_ bad.”

“No, but you _were_ too perfect.”

“Glad you can admit it.”

Zelda laughed and gave him a shove, but he pulled her back against him by her hands and she didn’t fight.

“I missed you,” she said, without a thought for what she was saying. 

“Did you?” he asked. His cheeks were red, but his smile told her he already knew. “What are you gonna do about it then, sunshine?”

Well, maybe Purah was right about her being the top of her class, because she was about to do something real stupid. He was smiling at her with that _stupid_ smile, and he was holding her like nothing ever happened, and goddesses, she _missed_ him.

She cupped his face in her hands and pulled him into a long craved kiss, and she pretended she couldn’t hear Robbie whooping in the background. 

“There’s my Zel,” Link said once they parted, leaning his forehead against hers.

“You didn’t have to wait for me,” she pointed out, brushing her fingers through his hair. 

“I didn’t want anyone else,” he replied simply, then pressed a kiss to her nose. 

“Is this my Hylia’s Day gift?” she asked with a laugh.

“Yep. Me, in all my glory. If it’s what you want.”

“I do.”

“Thank Hylia, now we can stop hearing about it,” said a voice that did _not_ belong. Zelda whipped around to face Purah with wide eyes. 

“Ooh, exposed,” Link sang, hugging her waist like he couldn’t get enough of her. 

“Happy Hylia’s Day, you’re very much welcome,” Purah replied with a bow. Zelda contemplated throwing something at her.

“You are my _least_ favorite roommate,” Zelda complained.

“Yeah, yeah, you can thank me on your wedding day.”

She buried her face in her hands as Purah skipped off, and Link’s laughter filled her ears.

Yeah, maybe one day she _would_ thank her. But for now, she owed someone an apology.

“I’m sorry for.. you know,” she mumbled, turning back to face Link.

“Don’t apologize for needing time to figure stuff out,” he replied as he set a hand on her cheek, running his thumb over her cheekbone. 

“Well, I figured out one thing,” she said. 

“And what’s that?”

“That I don’t really want to be without you. Is that dumb?”

“Not at all.”

Link pulled her into another kiss and she hugged him close, deciding that this was probably one of the best Hylia’s Day celebrations she’d been to in a while. The goddess must’ve been smiling upon her today specifically, and she didn’t mind at all.


	11. Under the Mistletoe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda decides to try her hand at the mistletoe tradition, and it doesn’t go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BotW Zelink, pre-calamity, honestly just super fluffy

For once, all inhabitants of the castle were worried about something _other_ than the impending Calamity. It was still in the background and hovering over the kingdom like a storm cloud, but even her father had let up on his strict insistence of her training now that the holidays were edging closer. Zelda always favored this time of year. Seeing the halls of the castle decorated with holly and glittering fairies made her heart swell. It always gave her the impression that things were going to be okay. The staff putting up a tree the size of a pyre in the Great Hall made her smile. Everything about the holidays reminded her of her mother and of the fun they had when they took the time to decorate.

It was just a shame she couldn’t marvel at the décor today, because she had a plan in mind. Well, it was more of an impulsive decision than anything. It took less than a year, when she really paid attention, for her to catch on to the maidens and their _habits_. She wasn’t sure where they’d gotten it from, but she saw bundles of mistletoe tucked into doorways and corners as if they were trying to catch a knight under one. She heard their quiet giggles as she passed them, and she even caught a pair one year, proving that some still held to the tradition. Zelda managed to snag a bit for herself, and now she was walking through the halls as fast as her feet could carry her without looking suspicious. Her heart was pounding out of her chest and her hands were shaking, but she’d already committed to her idea. She couldn’t just give up now. What would she do with the mistletoe then? _Return it_? She had no idea how she managed to get it in the first place, and she wasn’t stealthy enough to sneak it back.

Zelda shut the doors of her bedroom behind her and leaned back against them, eyeing the green bundle of leaves and white berries in her hand. It began to dawn on her then just how incredibly _stupid_ and _inappropriate_ this was. 

A wave of nervous nausea hit her and she held the plant tighter. This was never going to work. For the mistletoe tradition to be effective, both parties had to give consent. She really had nothing to go off of that made her think Link would want to kiss her. _Why_ in Hylia’s sake did she grab this?

A knock on the door startled her out of her mental scolding and she jumped away from it with very warm cheeks.

“Yes?” she called out, though she dreaded the voice that would answer. Link always came by around this time--she’d memorized it to the nearest second and sure enough, his voice carried through the oak doors back to her. 

“It’s me, Princess.” Of course it was. 

Zelda quickly tossed the plant onto her vanity, but she had nothing to cover it with. The best she could do was stuff it between the mirror and the top of the table, and hope he didn’t see it. She nearly tripped trying to get back to her chair--where she wouldn’t look so suspicious. 

“Come in,” she called, dropping into the seat just as her door swung open.

“I-- are you alright?” Link crossed the room in seconds so that he could crouch before her with furrowed eyebrows. “Your face is red.” His hands, far gentler than they should’ve been with how calloused they were, held her cheeks, and then her forehead. Goddesses, did he have to be so _stupid?_

“I’m fine,” she assured, but she made no effort to bat his hands away. “It’s just a little warm.”

“Are you sure you don’t have a fever?” he asked. It took all of her willpower but this time, she took his hands and pulled them away from her face in the hopes that he stopped asking so many questions.

“I think I would know if I were sick, but thank you for the concern.”

Link still looked skeptical, but he dropped the subject and sat himself on the floor as if there wasn’t a chair behind him. A chair she’d brought into her room specifically for him. 

“Delivery from Purah,” he said at last and extended the Sheikah Slate to her. Zelda snatched it eagerly and activated it, tapping away so she could discover whatever the little genius had uncovered. 

“The Sheikah Sensor?” she asked, looking up at him. 

“Purah said there’s a compendium programmed into the Slate. You can register anything into it from plants to monsters by using that ruin there--it creates real time images, and the sensor will track whatever you set it to.”

“ _Brilliant_ ,” Zelda mused. “This could be incredibly useful in finding rare herbs for medicine, or perhaps even other Sheikah relics! If we captured, say, a guardian, do you think it would help us uncover more? Did Purah mention anything about it?” 

“I’m just the messenger,” Link replied with his hands up in defense. “Technology is your thing, Princess.”

“Some use you are,” she joked as she searched for whatever rune would allow her to capture her surroundings in real time. She wasn’t quite sure how it worked, but she lifted the Slate to find Link on the screen as if it were a reflection. “Smile.”

He blinked, but she snapped the image before he could do anything else. A smaller image popped up over the picture, zoomed in on the handle peeking out over his shoulder. In small text read the words ‘Master Sword’. She handed it over eagerly, itching to know _how_ it knew the name of something so specific. It was programmed in without a doubt, but how had the Sheikah managed such an impressive feat?

“So if I captured you on the Slate, do you think it would say ‘goddess blood’?” he asked, panning the device to her. Zelda raised her hands in front of her face.

“I highly doubt it,” she replied. “I don’t think it would be that specific.”

“I wonder.. how far can it capture?” 

Before she could think to stop him, Link was on his feet and adventuring around the room, pointing the Slate at anything he could find. Zelda stumbled after him, nearly tripping on the hem of her skirt. 

“I thought technology was _my_ thing,” she accused, reaching for the relic.

“It’s not detecting much,” he replied with a shrug, spinning to face her. “But it catches the bow.”

Ah, right. The royal guard’s bow that sat on the mantle of her fireplace. The same bow that Link had once gifted her, but she never thought to hide it until he was already in her room, and he never said a thing about it to make her want to take it down.

“Register it,” she said with a shrug. “But I believe it’ll be quite impossible to fill. There are _thousands_ of things across Hyrule that it may recognize.”

“We could do it,” he answered, glancing over to her before doing a double take back to the Slate. It wasn’t until he started walking towards her vanity that she realized what it might’ve picked up. All previous color drained from her face and she resisted the urge to curl up and hide. Could she fake innocence? 

“What is it?” she asked, but her voice was hardly as convincing as she would’ve liked it to be. 

“Mistletoe..?” He pulled it from its pathetic hiding spot and lifted it so he could get a better look. Zelda took a shaky breath.

“It’s odd how mistletoe and holly get mixed up to this day,” she rambled, fiddling with the sleeves of her dress. “One incorrect depiction led to the red berries being associated with mistletoe. I thought perhaps I could study both plants and see what further differences exist so we might correct that misconception.”

Link looked—well, she wasn’t quite sure how he looked. He could be impossible to read when he wanted to be, and it made her hate how much of an open book she was by comparison. He probably saw right through her, could read every twitch of her hands and every movement of her eyes. He crossed over to her, setting him close enough to press the bundle into her hands.

“Your business is your business, Princess,” he said at last as he took a step back. “But for your research, it’s more effective to hang it up.”

“Link, I-“ Zelda stepped forwards, reaching a hand out to him before letting it fall back to her side. There would really be no going back from this, no matter what she said or did. Her impulsivity got her into this mess, and she had no idea if it would get her out. She’d never flirted a day in her life. But she took a breath and lifted the mistletoe high above her head. “Care to prove your hypothesis?”

Link’s cheeks flushed, but he didn’t move. He was as quiet as ever, and she was starting to lose her nerve. Should she laugh and say that she was joking? Should she pretend a maid had left it behind? 

“I-“ But she didn’t get much more out before she was interrupted.

“Princess, I-.. you’re not serious.” But he sounded unsure of himself. 

“I am,” she stuttered and lowered her arm, holding the plant piece to her chest. “But it’s a silly tradition, and it’s never stated that you _have_ to partake in it. You’re free to decline if you so wish and if I have caused any discomfort, I offer my sincerest apologies.”

“Zelda.” Her heart stopped in her chest. He _never_ addressed her without the formalities attached. “If you wanted to kiss me, I’m in no position to deny you.”

“ _No_ ,” she said immediately, resisting the urge to drop and stomp on the mistletoe. “You have every right to refuse.”

“I don’t want to.”

Zelda blinked and wondered if she’d really heard him right, or if she’d wake up to find herself alone at late hours in the morning. Of all the ways she _realistically_ saw this going, it was not like this.

“I..” But she didn’t know what else to say.

Link enveloped her hand and gently pried the plant from it. With a faint smile that could only be described as sheepish, he held it above their heads.

“I want to prove my hypothesis. It’s important to the research of the princess,” he said. 

Zelda searched his eyes, but there was nothing betraying any thoughts or feelings he might’ve had. In a way, she was getting what she wanted, but it wasn’t worth it if he felt pressured or...

“Link..”

He took another small step forward, leaving little space between them. There was enough wait time for her to pull away, but instead her free hand came up and she brushed her fingers hesitantly over his cheek. His skin was so soft and warm. She wondered if his lips were the same. The thought sent her head spinning and her heart pounding and she decided she couldn’t take it anymore. His eyes were too blue and too _pretty_ , and his breath on her lips made her shiver, and Zelda closed the space between them with a quick and hesitant kiss. 

“I’m sorry,” she stuttered, averting her gaze. 

Link’s fingers grabbed her chin and gently lifted her head. 

“I don’t think it was sufficient evidence,” he stated simply. “You always say a thorough experiment includes multiple trials.”

Her cheeks were burning hotter than they’d ever been before and she wondered for a moment if she _did_ have a fever, because she was weak in her knees and the room felt very warm. 

Instead of replying however, she grabbed the front of his champion’s tunic and pulled him into another kiss—this one far longer than the first. She let herself indulge a little, relishing in the fact that his lips indeed were as soft and warm as they looked. His arms hugged her waist, pressing her to him, and she let her fingers play with the hair in his little ponytail. 

If anyone had told her that her ridiculous plan would work, Zelda would’ve laughed in their face.

When they finally parted, she dissolved into a fit of giggles and buried her face in his shoulder, because he was _smiling_ at her and she felt like her heart was just going to burst. 

“Was that sufficient evidence to back up your claim?” she asked. Link hummed in response.

“I don’t know. We might need to test it further,” he replied. Zelda squeaked out another laugh and lifted her head. 

“You are insufferable.”

“And I’m keeping this,” Link replied as he waved the mistletoe in front of her face. She swatted at it with a huff.

“I thought I was using that for research. Steal your own.”

“Isn’t that what I just did?”

She rolled her eyes hard, but Link lifted the bundle above their heads with a cheeky grin, and she was in no place to deny him another kiss. A very Happy Hylia’s Day to her.


	12. The Greatest Gift | Freebie Prompt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Very fluffy. Link pops the question. Proposal fic. Can’t get any better than that folks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BotW Post-Calamity Zelink. The twelfth and FINAL prompt in 12 Days of Christmas. Thank you so much for all the support! Happy Holidays!

There were many words that could describe how it felt to have Zelda back by his side. He could call it wonderful, magical, amazing--just about every word in the book. None could fit better, however, than _natural_. _Natural_ was how it felt when she’d appeared before him, glowing in a gold far richer than the ores beneath the surface could ever produce. _Natural_ was how it felt when she smiled at him, striking his heart with an arrow of warmth he’d forgotten how to know. _Natural_ was how it felt when he hugged her, holding onto her as if his life depended on it. And _natural_ was how it felt to love her, like he’d done it a thousand times over and would do it a thousand times more. 

It felt _natural_ to celebrate every little thing with her, whether it be her new haircut, or a holiday, or an advancement in the reconstruction of Hyrule. It felt _natural_ to follow her back into the heart of the kingdom, where he would spend the rest of his days as her knight attendant because the thought of not being with her made him feel empty. Everything he did with her, even if it meant to just exist within her presence, felt so incredibly familiar and _natural_ , and perhaps that was why they fell into a rhythm so quickly.

Perhaps that was why most nights, Link only fell asleep after Zelda did. He liked to see her curled up underneath the covers, tucked into his arms, with the peaceful expression of a sleeping goddess visible in the silver moonlight. Perhaps that was why he found every reason to accompany her wherever she went, so that he could see the way she lit up and smiled when things were working out. Perhaps that was why he took his job so seriously, even now, simply because he liked to be around her. 

Admittedly, it’d be problematic if he _didn’t_ like to be around the very princess he was courting. That would never be an issue though, even in times like these, when she was trying to use him as a test subject for her new, trial-and-error elixirs.

“You know I trust you with my life,” he said, holding her wrists as gently as ever. “But I’m _not_ putting that in my body.”

“I promise you’ll be okay,” she replied with a pout that almost swayed him. But Link stood his ground and shook his head, chuckling softly at her antics.

“You’re ridiculous, Zel.”

“I know what I’m doing, Link. I wouldn’t _willingly_ feed you something that could harm you.”

“Uh huh. And what’s the elixir supposed to do?”

“Well, if all goes according to plan--which it _should_ , it would boost the natural defense of a person against any sort of attack or condition.”

“You’re brilliant, but I’ll still have to pass.”

Zelda huffed, then uncapped the vial and brought it to her lips. Link was quick to snatch it from her hands and cap it again, shaking his head.

“Nope,” he said, “We’re not doing that either.”

“Then how are we supposed to know whether or not it’s effective?” she argued, crossing her arms over her chest. 

“I’ll find you a volunteer,” he replied, which she knew was code for _I’ll be your test subject later_ , and it was enough to satisfy her into smiling. “Can I make our dinner now?”

“It’s all yours, sir knight,” she answered, handing the slate over and lifting her hands up in defense. 

“Thank you, Princess.”

It was far from the first time he called her that, and it was a proper title anyone could use. But Zelda still smiled with a pink on her cheeks, and Link could do nothing but watch her. Watch the way crinkles formed by her eyes when she smiled, and the way her freckles became more prominent in the sun, and the way her golden hair bounced when she moved, and the way she furrowed her eyebrows whenever she was confused.

“What?” she asked.

“You’re beautiful,” he said, like it was the simplest thing in the world. She ducked her head and laughed, and he smiled in return.

“So you’ve said, _many_ times,” Zelda replied, giving his arm a gentle shove.

“And I’ll keep saying it until the end of time. You’re divine, ethereal, gor-“

He was fairly certain the kiss was solely to stop him from talking, but he was happy to return it nevertheless. 

She tasted sweet, like the berries they’d eaten for a snack earlier in the afternoon, and if sunlight had a taste, he imagined it would also taste like her.

“If you don’t get to cooking, I’ll take the Slate back,” Zelda warned with a poke to his chest. 

“Alright, alright,” he replied with a laugh. He truly enjoyed cooking, but not even that could keep his mind off of the girl besides him, who was busy scribbling away in a journal. His thoughts always drifted to her. Her, and his love for her, and just how much they’d survived together. 

And without thinking about it—well, it’d been on his mind, but he didn’t think before speaking:

“Would you ever want to get married?”

“Yes,” Zelda replied, too quickly and too casually for him to think she’d really heard him. He looked over to her with furrowed eyebrows, but she was staring right back with wide eyes, like she couldn’t believe it either. It took Link a minute to find his voice. 

“Are you serious?” he asked in a voice just barely above a whisper.

“Are you?” she asked.

“Yes,” Link said with a nod, reaching for one of her hands. “Of course I am.”

“I— you do mean us, right? You would want to marry me?” 

“ _Yes_. Without hesitation.”

“Is this..?” 

Link shook his head quickly.

“ _No_! I mean, no, I just— I kind of want to.. plan something..? I mean, the princess of Hyrule deserves a grand proposal.”

Zelda’s cheeks were as red as a rose. He could imagine he looked very similar, with the way his heart was racing. 

“You better _not_ ,” she said with a smile. 

But he did. He spent the next few weeks planning a perfect proposal. It didn’t have to be a surprise, but he did want it to be special. Zelda was special, in so many different ways. She was so very special to him, and he wanted to convey that, but he was stumped. 

Link didn’t want to put her on the spot in front of their friends or a crowd of any sort. He didn’t want to pressure her with grand gestures or gifts, but what else could he do? 

He’d written and scratched out so many ideas. 

Should he bring her to the Sanctum and make it the place of a happy memory instead of what it had become? Should he take her on vacation to Hateno and ask in the privacy and comfort of his house? Should he be clever about it and slip the ring into a book, or a journal, or on a guardian piece? Should he have a friend help him?

He tried asking said friends on their opinions, but he had pretty limited options. Riju was a child, and she’d take pleasure in sending him straight to a Voe and You class that he did _not_ want to participate in. Yunobo didn’t seem like the type to talk to anyone, much less do something as outgoing as propose. It didn’t feel right to ask Sidon, even if he would give good advice. His best bet was Teba and Kass, or any of the families he’d come to know in Hateno. 

Kass had suggested a song, but Link didn’t think he had a musical bone in his body outside of an appreciation for it. It would be a decent last resort, if anything. 

So the days came and went, and he remained clueless, but the ring, carefully crafted in Gerudo Desert with diamonds and sapphires and emeralds, stayed in his pockets. Just in case.

“Could you pass the sugar?” asked Zelda from beside him. Hylia’s Day had come around again and three years after their first celebration full of friends, they were spending the day in solitude. He was trying, key word, _trying_ to help her bake a fruit cake. The kitchen staff were hesitant to let them, but he managed to convince them.

Link used it as an excuse to hug her from behind and place the sugar in front of her.

“You’re ridiculous,” she said, but turned her head to kiss his cheek anyway. 

“Careful not to use too much,” he warned, giving her a gentle squeeze. “It’ll be too sweet.”

“If I can put up with you, then I think I can handle a little ‘too sweet’.”

“I can’t tell if that’s a compliment or an insult.”

Zelda snorted and dumped the measured sugar into the bowl. Link hid his grin in her shoulder. He loved the way she laughed, and the way her nose scrunched up when she did. 

“There. Now I can stir them all together, right?” she asked. 

“Clever girl,” he replied with a kiss into her shoulder. She threw some flour into his hair, and he shook it off all over her shirt.

“ _Oh_ , you just wait until this is in the oven.”

“Is that a threat, my princess?”

“Absolutely.”

Though she didn’t need help pouring the cake batter, Link set his hands over hers and did it anyway. It was nothing more than an excuse to touch her, but she clearly didn’t mind. 

“See? You’re a professional,” he said as he took the trays and slid them into the oven. She’d burned herself once, years ago, and he never let her touch it since. 

“I can give up the crown and turn the castle into a bakery instead,” she replied, leaning against the counter with crossed arms. He shut the oven and set his hands on either side of her, trapping her where she stood.

“We could be Hyrule’s most successful sweet shop. Specialty is fruit cake, made by and for the former princess herself.”

“Maybe we’ll just run a side business.”

“Ah, Princess and army general by day, bakers by night.”

“Exactly.”

Link laughed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Zelda brought her flour covered hands up and stuck them onto his cheeks. 

“Why do you insist on starting a food fight with me?” he asked with a sigh, before sticking his hand in flour and dragging a finger down her nose, leaving her with a flour streak of her own. 

“You’re cute when you’re covered in flour,” she replied before ducking out from under his arms and darting away from him. When he turned to grab her again, she tossed a handful of flour in his face. “See?”

“Princess of Hyrule, Daughter of Hylia, spends her day assaulting her escort with flour,” he said with a huff, then turned back to the counter to scoop up some flour of his own.

“Are you seriously pouting over it?” she asked. Now that she’d moved closer, he spun around and dropped the handful onto her head.

“You know me better than that,” he replied with a grin. Zelda let out a sound somewhere between a gasp and a scream, and Link took the opportunity to make a mad dash across the kitchen and out of her reach.

Maybe they should’ve cleaned up the ingredients when they were done, because Zelda grabbed an egg and chucked it in his general direction. He ducked, then darted to one side of the table. She took the other and mirrored every move he made with a grin of her own.

“Your aim is getting better,” he teased, nodding towards the splatter of egg on the wall. “But I will again offer training-“

“If you hadn’t ducked, it would’ve hit you!” she defended.

“A lovely Hylia’s Day gift that would’ve been. Egged by my princess.”

“I think it’s fitting!”

“I got you an empty kitchen and a day to try whatever you want, and you egg me!” 

“Because you’re an egghead!”

“ _Unbelievable_. She’s the Daughter of Wisdom and the best she can come up with is _egghead_.”

Zelda sputtered a response, then made a break for him. Instead of running in the opposite direction, like any sensible person, Link jumped clean over the table and waved with a smile.

“Ugh! Show off.”

“I could teach you,” he offered.

“I’m perfectly capable of jumping over a table on my own!”

“Prove it.”

Zelda glared at him, but it was filled with a playful love that made it hard to stop smiling. She pulled herself up onto the table with all the grace of a goddess blood princess, then scooted across it to meet him.

“Very impressive,” he teased, grabbing her by the waist to pull her close. She only rolled her eyes and stuck her fingers into his hair, effectively spreading more flour. 

“High praise coming from you,” she said. Link only hummed and tilted his head to meet her in a quick kiss. 

“Come on, let’s clean up a bit,” he replied as he scooped her up off of the table in a bridal hold, and she leaned her head against his shoulder.

“Yeah, we probably should.” But she’d tilted her head up and was pressing kisses along his neck.

“Are you trying to distract me?” he asked, glancing towards her with a lifted eyebrow.

“Now why would I do that?” 

The warmth of her breath tickled his neck and, well, it was certainly working. He almost wanted to forget about cleaning their mess and instead give his full attention to Zelda, but his foot hit a pile of flour on the floor.

The wind was knocked out of him immediately upon impact with the floor, but no harm had come to Zelda, and that’s what mattered. He tried to laugh through the pain.

“Are you okay?!” she asked as she scrambled off of him and helped him sit up. He nodded, but she checked him over anyway. Only when he could breathe again did she relax, then burst into a fit of giggles. “You’re an idiot.”

“I’m being bullied by the love of my life,” Link said with a hint of exasperation as he dropped onto his back. Zelda leaned over him with a smile as soft as a cloud. 

“Am I really?” she asked, running her fingers through his hair again.

“Of course,” he replied with a smile, lifting a hand to rest on her cheek. “You’re my sunshine.”

Zelda scoffed and shook her head, but Link took her free hand and pressed a kiss to her fingertips. Even covered in flour, she was absolutely divine. And she looked so happy that his heart could burst. He decided there was no moment he loved her more than when she was smiling at him, with a warmth in her eyes and a sweetness in her smile that was reserved only for him. He loved her most when she was happy. He couldn’t keep the smile from his face and the words from his mouth.

“I love you,” he said as he sat up, cupping her face with both hands. “So much. You are everything to me and I want to do all I can to make you happy, for the rest of our lives.”

“Link,” she replied, her voice choked full of emotion. 

“I want to marry you, Zelda.”

Even though they’d had this discussion before, there were tears building in her eyes. She looked like she didn’t know what to say, so Link took the opportunity to dig into his pocket and pull out the velvet box. And right there, on the floor of the castle kitchen, covered in flour, Link opened the lid and revealed the ring. Zelda burst into tears and, goddesses, when she _nodded_ , he let out a watery laugh. She tackled him backwards, burying her face in his shoulder, and he hugged her close.

“I love you,” Zelda said, and repeated it probably a hundred times over. 

“I love you,” he answered, pressing a kiss to her head.

“Can we have fruitcake at our wedding?” she asked in a wobbly voice. Link laughed again and if he could hold her closer, he would’ve. 

“We can have whatever you want.”

And a few hours later, when the future queen and Hyrule’s army general stepped out of the (now clean) kitchen covered in flour, hand in hand and glowing with a happiness that suggested they’d seen Hylia herself, no one questioned it. But their engagement was no secret, because the ring on their princess’s finger had the castle staff whispering excitedly to one another mere minutes after the couple was gone. 

That very night, as Link watched Zelda fall asleep in his arms, he could swear he felt King Rhoam smiling down on them, and he thought he could hear Urbosa’s laughter echoing on the wind. 

They would celebrate tomorrow, he decided. For now, he would be grateful for how their solitary Hylia’s Day had gone. 

He must’ve been the luckiest man in the entire world. 

“I’ll take care of her,” Link whispered into the night air, a quiet promise to all those who cared about her. She didn’t need his protection, but goddesses, she’s all he could’ve ever wanted. 

To have the pleasure of falling in love with her over and over again, perhaps that was the greatest gift of all.


End file.
